


Where the Ocean Meets the Sky

by TheHallowedLady



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Smut, Hanzo being cute, Hanzo fosters baby otters, Jesse might have sight problems, M/M, Selkies, Trauma, Trauma Recovery, Will tag properly after sleep, animal orphaning, apparently we're slowburning this shit, author is learning and open to constructive, bit of gore, canonical limb loss, if the author can handle it, polite critiscism, touch starved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2019-05-14 16:14:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14772914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHallowedLady/pseuds/TheHallowedLady
Summary: "Once, selkies wandered as they pleased, visiting nearby towns and exploring the land around their oceans to their hearts content. Now, those with this remarkable ability remain hidden from humanity, sharing this most secret part of themselves with only those few chosen humans. Those trustworthy, those necessary, and those most beloved.”“But Abuela, Papa says they aren’t real - are they?”“Oh yes, my little Jessito. They are very real.”“How do you know? Have you ever seen one?”“I have done more than see, my little pup. One day, perhaps I shall tell you more.”





	1. Hush Now

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter 1. I'm tired, it's like 3am over here, here, have it. Formatting, tagging and spell-checking will be done after I've had more than an hour's sleep.

_“Abuela! Abuela, will you tell me a story?”_

_“Hm? Very well, which one would you like to hear?”_

_“The seal-people!”_

_“Haha, alright then. Come sit here with me little one. Now…where to begin…”_

_“-Once, long ago, there was said to be a special breed of people born with a most wondrous talent. Underneath the moonlight’s glow, they would shed their seal skins and stand upon their feet as we do now. They would run with the sea foam through their toes, play along the sands, and sing and communicate just as you and I are speaking now. However, once the sunlight rose over the horizon, they would be forced to take up their skins again. The sunlight chasing them back into the waves before it could touch their human forms._

_They believed the sunlight, you see, would tie them to the land if it touched them whilst in willing human form. There are exceptions, if you read the stories closely enough. It is different if a human should steal their skin. If their skin is hidden from them, the sunlight shall not hurt them until they have been released of their imprisonment to the human who bound them. The ocean knows, little one. She will always welcome her children back if they have been taken from her by force. The ocean knows. She remembers her own. She will always welcome you home.”_

_“I’ve never seen the ocean, Abuela. Would it hate me? How would it know if I’m welcome?”_

_“She knows, little one. She knows the ones who belong to her. Now, where was I…?”_

_“Even now, no one knows how Selkies are born, where they come from, or how they came into being. Some stories say they are people cursed to the sea, others simply say they have always been there. However, despite the differences, there are still certain stories that show up time and time again._

_To possess a Selkie’s skin is to possess all that they are. It shall trap them to you. Bind them to you so long as they can never find it. If they find it, they shall return to the sea forever. They may never again return to the shore._

_If a selkie willingly leaves the ocean behind, they may never return to it. Their skin shall never welcome them again. They leave behind everything they are for the land._

_Finally, if a Selkie takes a human as their love, they make take no other. A Selkie’s love is eternal, and a powerful thing to be offered. If a Selkie offers you their heart, they offer the second most treasured possession they own…_

_Once, selkies wandered as they pleased, visiting nearby towns and exploring the land around their oceans to their hearts content. Now, those with this remarkable ability remain hidden from humanity, sharing this most secret part of themselves with only those few chosen humans. Those trustworthy, those necessary, and those most beloved.”_

_“But Abuela, Papa says they aren’t real - are they?”_

_“Oh yes, my little Jessito. They are very real.”_

_“How do you know? Have you ever seen one?”_

_“I have done more than see, my little pup. One day, perhaps I shall tell you more.”_

* * *

 

Hanzo rung the seawater out of his hair again as he leaned his board up against the surf hut at the edge of the beach, nodding a polite goodbye to the last few students of the early morning class as they dispersed in cheerful groups, all drenched and laughing amongst each other as they left. He sighed softly, looking out over the rolling waves of white foam in the early morning breeze.

It hadn’t been good conditions today at all, not enough cloud coverage for the beginners, the sunlight on the water only getting more and more irritating in your eyes. The waves were breaking too close to the shore as well. Good days for relaxing made for a poor class, unfortunately. Oh well, a least he had the rest of the day off. His thoughts wandered as he reached for the wetsuit tag, peeling the fabric from his arms and down to his waist, reaching for the towel to dry off a little.

The manager of the surf school waved as Hanzo passed the open door, “Looks like the conditions weren’t good, seemed like a bad class.” She called out to him, leaning against the desk and giving him a polite smile. “Heading off for now, Shimada?” she asked. Hanzo turned back with a polite smile, motioning to where he had stored his board away already.

“Unless I’m forgetting something?” Hanzo asked. He should haven’t been booked into any other classes, right…?

“Forgotten already?” Fareeha chuckled at his frown. “You agreed to cover my evening class, remember?” She asked. _Oh…right._

Hanzo sighed, giving a tired smile. “Yes, I remember now. The six o’clock class.” Fuck. Of course. He’d taken on the extra class on to avoid Genji dragging him out with his work colleagues again. Apparently volunteering his free time to help at the sanctuary wasn’t good enough for his social butterfly brother. Of course not. It never was enough for Genji.

“So…you going to go volunteer for a few hours?” Fareeha interrupted his inner cursing streak, catching his attention again. “I mean, you have a good few hours spare, you usually wind up there on your days off…” He found himself smirking at her poor attempt at an uninterested expression, trying to sound nonchalant even as Hanzo watched her eyes light up, the tattoo under her right eye only accentuating the eager expression. He sighed and shook his head, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a grin.

“Fareeha, have you considered you should just ask her out already? Eventually, you’ll run out of days to use the ‘visiting your mother’ excuse…especially after last time.” Hanzo laughed as Fareeha threw one of the counter displays at him, easily ducking tacky pieces of jewellery as they scattered around, and looking up at her face as she blushed a furious red.

“I panicked, okay? She was _bottle feeding_ a _seal pup_ Hanzo! How was I supposed to remember Mother was on leave when faced with that?! Besides, I’m getting better…sort of. I mean, I can at least string together words when she smiles at me now. That’s an improvement, right?” Hanzo felt a little pity for his boss as she slunk into the chair behind the counter with her head on her forearms, backing up to head towards the counter and patting her on the shoulder comfortingly.

“It will be alright. However, my point still stands, perhaps you should simply tell her? Sometimes fate has a strange course for us all.” Fareeha raised her head from her arms, dark eyes narrowing at Hanzo.

“…You and mother have been talking again.”

“We discuss things over tea occasionally, yes.” Hanzo replied, pausing to wring water out of his hair again and pretending he didn’t head Fareeha’s indignant growl at the splashes of sea water he flicked at her from the soaked ends. She gave him a playful punch to the shoulder, a wry smile on her face.

“Get going Shimada, tell everyone I said hi and I’ll come over in the afternoon unless I find something during the Sweep.”

Hanzo bowed his head a little in goodbye. “I will see you later, Miss Amari.” He added with a grin, ducking again as another display of board wax was thrown for his head.

“Don’t call me that!”

 

* * *

 

The breeze against his skin cooled the water still falling from his hair, sending occasional pebbles of cold across his arms and back. It was always so cold here, nothing like the warm summers back home. Hanzo could admit that had taken some getting used to, the feeling of such icy temperatures all the time. Cold water, cold air, cold nights even in the height of summer, so much cold all the time.

The sand was even cold over his toes, sticking to the water there as he walked along the seafront, enjoying the sounds of the waves in the peaceful morning. Relishing the waves. The peace. The time. He had time to enjoy these little things. So much time now they were free. It was this time that made taking on the early classes worth it. Hardly anyone was in the waves, and even fewer walked the beach. If he closed his eyes and just let himself listen, Hanzo could pretend he was truly alone with only the sea for company.

He had always felt drawn to the ocean. Ever since their father had taken them on a rare trip outside of Hanamura, to a small beach area hardly known to the public, only a few scattered families dotting here and there. Genji had been far more interested in the ice cream vendors and roping the other local children into sandcastle building or other various games. Too busy making friends to enjoy the beauty right before him.

But Hanzo…Hanzo had found himself - entranced, perhaps that was the best word. Entranced by the gentle currents of water as the waves lapped against the shoreline, the way the sunlight sparkled and shone like jewels from the water’s surface. How the breeze stung his lips with salt and tousled his hair behind him. He remembered thinking how annoying it would be to brush later but had soon forgotten all about it in favour of the sounds of the crashing waves and how the current pulled at his ankles, calling for him to step out further, calling for him to come closer.

He could even remember seeing huge creatures breaching the water off in the far distance. Later, he had been told they were whales, breaching for air. But in that moment, he had wondered if the ocean housed its own dragons, just like the ones he had been able to call upon sometimes. He had wandered the shoreline, much as he did now, feeling the seafoam tickle his toes and sink into the sand beneath his feet. He had walked and watched his footprints be swallowed up by the sea, imagined if it could drag him out with it just the same.

Even now, Hanzo found himself staring down at his footprints again, so much larger and yet still just as easily swallowed by the sea. Right now, at this moment, Hanamura felt a world away. It had been a hard journey, and an even harder won freedom. Hanzo wouldn’t have changed any of it if it meant Genji could live freely and he…he could finally just _live._

He took a huge lung full of sea air, salt stinging his lips and making his eyes squint closed against the spray. It wasn’t the same sea. It was more grey-green than the blue-white of his memories. The seafoam lashed the tops of the waves as they broke in the wind, instead of the gentle current he had watched as a child. The sand was colder, even in the steadily warming sunlight, and full of many more broken shells and debris. But still, he felt the enormity of it sweep over him. Engulf him. Leave him wondering if such a huge thing between him and the place he once called home could truly protect him.

The water still pulled around his ankles the same way. Inviting him in. Calling to him to come.

He remembered when they had been coming home from the beach trip. How Genji had complained that Hanzo had done nothing but stare out at the water all day. How Hanzo had tried to defend himself against the complaint; but how could he when his brother was right. Sojiro had scolded him for not playing with his brother or taking advantage of the rare trip they got to do something fun. But his mother…

Oh, his mother, she had understood.

He remembered how she had pulled him aside with a smile when they arrived home. How she had cupped his face in her hands and kissed his forehead.

 _“Do not worry about them”_ she had told him, pushing back the mirror of her own long black hair from his face. _“I feel it too. The call of the ocean. It pulls at you. One day, perhaps, you will travel it and find the beauty it hides beneath its surface. Then you will see why we love to watch the water.”_

Hanzo opened his eyes. He hadn’t even realised he’d closed them against the breeze as his mother’s words echoed in his mind. She had been right. The sea called to him. There was nowhere he felt more at home than when he was alone on the water. Genji didn’t understand. No one could…

Enough monologuing. There was too much to do today to sit and stare at the ocean forever. Hanzo shook his head to clear it of the memories and took one last look out across the shimmering surface of the water. He turned, dragging himself away from the feel of bubbles around his feet and letting the water swallow up the last of his footprints.

**_“_ ** _Bark!”_

The sudden noise caught Hanzo off guard, startling him into looking around. He knew that noise. It was a low, nasally-gravelly noise. The noise of something distressed and in pain. He whipped around, trying to find the source of the sound, but over the noise of the waves, it was difficult to locate what direction it had-

_“Baaark! Bark!”_

The rocks. Surrounding the edges of the large crescent of beach were huge rocks; tumbled down from the cliff face and shaped the caves and divots that lined the edges of the sandy haven. The sound was coming from somewhere behind the rocks. Hanzo didn’t even waste time thinking. Within an instant he already had one foot braced on the rocks, scrambling up and over the first ones.

They were smoothed down by the constant batting of the waves, but still slippery and dangerous to manoeuvre… If Hanzo wasn’t used to much more dangerous terrain. Even then, he found himself holding his breath at times, every time his foot slid down on the rocks or his hand missed its grip. At least the tide was on its way out. If he was caught in the currents around these rocks, Fareeha’d be finding some last-minute cover for that evening class.

He continued to try to find the source of those faint sounds of pain, looking down into each well and gap in the rocks. It was maybe about five minutes before he finally located it. Wedged into a tiny alley of sand between two rocks, Hanzo wouldn’t have even noticed it if not for the startling trail of crimson staining the sand leading from the sea edge.

A large grey-brown mass was wedged tight into one of the grooves between the rocks. Hanzo could see flippers and fins and a steadily growing puddle of blood surrounding the poor creature. There was another nasally sounding bark and suddenly the thing’s head moved.

The seal’s nose twitched as it huffed out another breath, suddenly turning its head and staring up at Hanzo with two huge, deep dark eyes. Hanzo found his breath caught in his lungs as those great sad eyes blinked up at him slowly from the sand below.

The poor thing looked exhausted, there was no telling how long it had been beached here, and Hanzo still couldn’t see where all that blood was coming from. Those eyes were full of such pain…the creature didn’t even stare at him for longer than perhaps a few moments before it turned its head back, letting out another mournful sound as it lay there, head to the bloody sand.

It was too far down for Hanzo to leap and get both of them out safely. The divot was a deep one, both in depth and distance. The opening was far out to the sea, trapping the entrance to the narrow sandy patch beneath the sea level…there was no way of knowing how deep it was, or if the riptides would pull them both out. And that was if he could even move them both out that way. Seals weren't exactly lightweight. Even injured ones.

 If he went down with the creature, they’d both be stuck until the tide went out. If he stayed up here…

Hanzo frowned. He didn’t like this poor creature’s odds and judging by how its cries were getting louder and louder, it was obviously distressed. The injury was likely tucked where Hanzo couldn’t see…even if he could get down there, how was he supposed to-?

Oh, _you idiot._

Berating his own foolishness for not thinking about it sooner, Hanzo backed up off the rocks, even with each slow movement he tried to pick up the pace. Leaving the seal alone made his heart pound heavily in his chest. His bag was where he had left it, and he found his phone tucked inside the waterproof pocket. Three missed calls from Genji, one from Ana, one from Satya, and four texts from Genji as well. Honestly, he was barely even a half hour late, and it wasn’t like they were paying him!

He ignored them all in favour of climbing back over the rocks, moving much more swiftly now he knew his footing, until he could see the seal again. Once more, those expressive eyes turned to stare up at him. Perhaps Hanzo was just projecting, but it felt a lot like tired judgement as the huge dark eyes blinked slowly again, tilting its head to the side a little. A low huff of air, almost like a sigh, and the animal fell back to the sand once more. Too injured and weak to get back to the water, if Hanzo had to guess. He hit the number in his phone, hoping he wasn’t already too late to do anything.

_“About time Hanzo! I’ve been calling you for hours! Do you know what time it is? You said you’d be here today-”_

“I have an injured seal stuck in a space between the rocks on the southern coast from the surf school, heavily bleeding from an injury I cannot see. Tell me Angela is with you, Genji.” Hanzo immediately cut him off, ignoring his brother's exaggerations. The sound if his voice seemed to catch the seal’s attention again, the lump below him shuffling around and bending his head around to stare at Hanzo with a loud bark. He heard Genji hiss at the other end of the line at the sound, his cheery voice immediately going serious.

_“How bad does it look?”_

“I cannot see, it’s in one of the deep wells in the rocks, the entrance is blocked by sea water.”

“ _Can you get it out at all? Even just to the main beach would work”_

“Not without help. It will be another hour or so at least before the tide is out far enough.”

The questions went back and forth for a while, Hanzo relaying all information he could while the seal just kept staring at him from the rocks below. He’d stopped barking now, just lying in silence on the sand as the sunlight slowly inched its way further over the rocks. He wondered if the seal could understand he was trying to get help.

Genji vanished from the phone for a moment, before returning with a clatter on the other end. _“Angela is going to come down as soon as she can – can you get to the seal’s injuries at all? That will let us know if we need to prepare for surgery.”_

“Genji, for the last time, if I go down there, I won’t make it back out, we’ll both be trapped there.” Hanzo growled in irritation, snapping down the phone at him. Something in his words must have caught the seal’s attention, as it suddenly whipped around to stare at him again, barking loudly and flailing on the sand, clearly agitated by something.

 _“Sorry, sorry!”_ More clattering, and faint voices as the phone was moved away from Genji’s ear, then, “ _Angela will be down as soon as she can, just – try to keep him calm, we’ll be there soon Hanzo, if you have to get down there to do it, then do it.”_ Genji hung up the phone only a few minutes after, leaving Hanzo with the noisy barking seal now trying to drag itself towards the ocean. _Shit._ Out in the open ocean - It’d be dead in minutes bleeding like that.

“Hey, hey! Don’t go-” Hanzo tried to call out, tried to draw the poor creature’s attention back to him. It didn’t work, the seal instead just trying to flail and move even faster away, body slapping against the sand as it went. More blood stuck to the sand as it moved. Whatever the injury was, it wasn’t slowing down the bleeding.

Hanzo looked down at the drop into the rocks, then out at the ocean shoreline. He growled in irritation, throwing his head around to search for something, anything useful. Eventually finding a piece of wood washed over the rocks nearby and tearing off the underlayer of his wetsuit to attach to it. It took some fixing to fasten it into the rocks, and half his eye was on the seal as it continued to move sluggishly, but eventually he’d created a beacon, at least Angela would have some luck finding the divot. If she didn't it was going to be a long wait time for the tide. Time this creature may not have.

He scrambled over the slippery rocks quickly, eventually sliding down into the sand with a soft thud, setting himself between the seal and the ocean. Those dark brown eyes looked fearful and defensive as they started up at Hanzo, short, sharp noises of aggression filling the space between them as the seal continued to try to shuffle around him. A seal could have a nasty bite if provoked…Hanzo prayed it didn’t get that far.

“Alright, settle down now…” he murmured softly, continuing to make soft shushing noises as he kept blocking off the route to the ocean. “Sh, sh…it’s alright. You’re safe with me, it’s going to be alright…” he hushed, holding his arms out to try to corral the creature back. "come now, where are you going to go if you get there?" Hanzo continued, keeping it soft and gentle.

The seal huffed out a few puffs of breath, flopping their body to the side and finally, Hanzo could see where all the blood was coming from. A nasty looking gash to the front left flipper had left it a bloodied mess. Chunks of pink flesh shone with drying sea salt, gritty with sand and bits of debris. Even that wasn’t enough to halt the rivers of red running from the wounds.

It was a jagged, vicious looking cut, slicing away at the edges and leaving an awful wound behind. Sand stuck in the cuts and he could see the green tint of infection and yellowing pus leaking at some edges. Now he could see the little thing up close, he could see other cuts across the face and body. Scars on the thick skin that bisected over each other at times.

Underweight as well. Underfed, stressed and dehydrated as well by the looks of it. Nothing as gruesome as the huge chunk missing from the left flipper at least. One of the eyes looked slightly misty, as if it had been injured and healed many times. Hopefully the unfortunate seal wasn’t blind, or this was going to make keeping him calm much, much harder. The sight pulled on Hanzo’s heart. So many wounds on such a sweet animal was just...so cruel.

“Poor thing” he murmured without thinking, slowly kneeling onto the sand to get more on its level. “You’ve seen many hardships, haven’t you?” he cooed out, keeping his voice soft as he gently, slowly reached out a hand, watching closely for any negative reaction or stress in the animal. He paused when a low grumbling-growl rose from the creature’s belly, watching it rear back from him. Hanzo made a few more soft cooing noises, gentle sounds of encouragement as that rumbling sound died and those big eyes blinked at him curiously.

“That’s it, Good boy” Hanzo kept murmuring with a smile, eventually knee-shuffling forward awkwardly over the sand until he was only maybe a foot from the seal. It just continued to watch him, whiskers twitching a little as it huffed out another breath, letting him get closer and closer until finally Hanzo could stroke his fingertips over the leathery head, watching the eyes fall closed as the creature finally relaxed more readily into the touch.

It was impossible to stop the wide smile that pulled at his lips as Hanzo kept petting the seal gently, watching how it turned its head into the touches and the peace it finally held as he kept up the light touches, brushing the back of his knuckles over the seal’s back, bringing his other hand up to rub comfortingly underneath the jaw. A series of grunts and low sounds of what Hanzo hoped were joy rumbling like thunder through the animal's chest. The ocean waves crashed faintly behind them as Hanzo just kept petting the wild animal, murmuring and whispering mindless affection to him in the process.

“That’s it, look at you nice and relaxed now. Such a good boy, being so calm and friendly, so very good now, aren’t you?" Hanzo kept praising the seal softly. "It’s going to be okay. We’re going to get you help, get you well again, you'll be swimming again in no time, just need to stay nice and calm” Hanzo continued. “You’re safe here, you’re safe…” he hummed, hoping the gentle cadence of his voice would be enough to soothe the wild creature. It seemed to be working at least.

Hanzo had learned pretty early on - animals were so much easier to communicate with than humans. Less fear of being misunderstood, fewer expectations, less judgement. He felt more attuned to animals than he ever could to humans. Humans were…complicated. They would lie and manipulate and twist words around. If an animal didn’t like you, you got bitten. Simple as. It was this very feeling that lead him to rub the hand that had been petting the Seal's jaw down to its belly, even chuckling gently to himself and cooing at the pretty dappled pattern of its skin.

He quickly froze where he knelt in the sand as the seal started to huff and wriggle, rolling back onto its belly as if it was going to move again. When it started shuffling closer towards him, Hanzo tense up a little, nervous for a moment that he may have to pin the poor creature down to stop it going for the ocean. It wasn't behaving aggressively, but that didn't mean Hanzo was safe from it. If he got bitten trying to help this creature, Genji was never going to let him live it down.

It was a pleasant surprise when he found himself with a heavy lap full of leathery skin and blubber.

“Heh, very well then.” Hanzo mumbled to himself, looking down at the muzzle nudging its way into the exposed skin of his stomach, the heavy weight resting on his thighs. Those big eyes looking up at him sleepily. “Alright, I see...rest there then.” Hanzo murmured, returning to the gentle stroking over the seal’s back. Long, slow movements in time with the ebb and flow of the tide behind him.

When Angela finally arrived with Lucio and Lena in tow and stuck her head over the rock face a half hour later, she found Hanzo muttering to the sleeping seal still stretched across his legs. If Hanzo stuck close to the injured creature the entire way back to the sanctuary, murmuring gentle words of encouragement every time it showed even the briefest signs of agitation, well, she wasn't going to comment on it.

 

 


	2. Mo Stoirin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse McCree is not having a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um...wow??? I got such a wonderfully positive response on the first chapter I pushed through the second one in less than a week, even with work riding me like a race stallion.
> 
> I only find any courage to post chapters at like 3am. I have worked 26 hours in the past 48, I am very, VERY tired, and as usual, before I lose my nerve, here, take it, I'll be proof-reading and probably edit some things tomorrow. I don't have a beta reader, so this is the best way I've found to do it (if it's posted, I have more motivation to fix shit than if it sits untouched in word documents.)

 

Jesse McCree was not having a Good Day.

Scratch that, Jesse McCree was not having a Good Year.

In fact, some could say that Jesse McCree, in this particular moment of his existence, was having perhaps the worst time of his life to date. And that was fucking saying something.

Stranded on a beach in fuck-knows-where, with the sun rising far too quickly for anyone’s liking, Jesse found himself stuck between literally a rock and…well, another rock. On both sides of him the huge sloping walls stretched up, he’d probably just have been able to pull himself over the edge in his human form. Stuck like this, he was helpless…

He hadn’t felt this helpless in years.

If Gabe could see him now…no. Don’t think about that. Jesse let out a low whine as he stared out across the ocean’s surface. He was such an idiot. If he’d just stayed with the colony like he was told, none of this would have happened. But no, he just had to go off searching like an idiot. Like it would have done anything anyway. Now he couldn’t even make it back to his colony.

He let out a low bark as his stump of a fin dragged against the edge of the sand again. He couldn’t even twist himself to see how bad the wound was, only that it ached a tonne and throbbed like a second heartbeat. He was just grateful that the water had at least washed him into an isolated little well in the rocks. They wouldn’t find him here at least. His arm wouldn’t stop burning.

The colony didn’t know where he was. Hell, HE didn’t even know where he was. He didn’t recognise the rocks, there was nothing about the horizon and no scents on the breeze that he could tell apart. He was stuck here. The tide on its way out…even if he could get back to the water, even if he could get out far enough to find food…what was even the point anymore? He failed, and in failing broke the only rule Gabe had ever given him.

He let out another low, mournful bark. A pathetic call of help to the ocean as the tide dragged further and further out across the sand, further and further away from him. Abandoning him to the land like another piece of driftwood or seashell. ' _No, Please don’t leave me here…'_

He knew whatever they’d done to his fin was bad. He knew it was likely infected by now. He knew his chances of survival were dropping from ‘slim’ down towards ‘none’ with each drag of the waves pulling away. With each creeping inch of sunlight crawling over the rocks towards where he was holed up. The sunlight may not trap him to the land, that didn’t mean dehydration wasn’t still a very real possibility. But it was so exhausting to move…

Shifting noises from the rocks above him caught his attention, soon followed by a hiss of someone taking a breath through their teeth. Animal panic rushed through his senses at the sudden sound, another gravelly noise of a bark growling over his vocal chords before twisting himself around a little to find the source of the sound. Please don’t let it be them again…please don’t let it be-

 _Oh_. Oh well then. Jesse blinked slowly up at the face staring down at him. It was a nice face. A very nice face. If Jesse had just a bit more energy he might have even tried to get a better look at the stern features and dark hair he could just make out if he turned his head the right way. Whatever was wrong with his right eye had left everything a blur that just would not clear up. It made him light-headed to keep watching the stranger, so he turned back and left his head on the sand instead. He was so tired all of a sudden.

There was the sound of more scrambling on the rocks, and when Jesse next looked around the person was gone. Good. No more threat. Let him have at least a little dignity while he was bleeding out on the damned beach. The sunlight was still creeping closer and closer. He could tell he was still bleeding, twisting his head just enough to catch sight of the darker red smears of fresh blood over the yellow-grey sand and he whimpered at the sight. His head felt dizzy and full of cotton, and if he had anything in his stomach he probably would have lost it by now.

Food…he needed food… and water. But water was so far... Needed the ocean. Needed Gabe…human thought devolved with the fogginess stuffing his brain, leaving behind only the animal desire to survive, warring with the pitiful exhaustion and slowly pressing urge to just let go. There was more shuffling from the rocks above, and he sluggishly raised his head again to blink the blurriness away, staring up at the pretty man from before again. He’d returned. Why?

Maybe Jesse was already dead. Maybe this was his angel. He was pretty enough, all sharp features and dark hair that sparkled with drying sea salt in the sunlight, a shadow against the blue sky. Jesse could hear him talking, murmuring to something held to his ear – _phone, it’s a phone_ – but Jesse couldn’t work out the words right now. He sounded urgent and nervous, like how Livi got whenever there were sharks or whales passing close to home. He couldn’t help but let out another mournful bark as he thought of Olivia. She would never know what happened to him now…

A low, angry growl snapped at his attention, leaving him tense as he whipped back around to the sound. The person on the rocks. He was tense, his eyes were sharp, showing off his teeth at Jesse as he snarled from on top of the rocks. Sharp teeth, tense shoulders, ready to strike, to tear.

_Threat, threat, **Threat!**_

No, no he didn’t want to be hurt any more. Not again. His fins _burned_. Man was a danger. Man was calling at him. He didn’t hear, didn’t want to hear, just dragged himself across the sand, desperate for the safety of the water. The ocean would save him. The water would protect him. He needed the colony. Needed family. Needed the ocean. He was so tired…everything was so blurry…the ocean was still so far away…

A shadow blocked out the warm sunlight as something dropped down immediately in front of him. Jesse reared back from the dangerous man, growling and barking at him in fear. He didn’t want to go back. Not to the cold room. Not to the cruel woman. He wouldn’t go back. _It wouldn’t stop burning…_

Jesse tried to throw himself around the man, kicking up sand all around him as he tried, slapping his tail against the ground and trying to make himself look bigger. The man was so tall, holding out his arms and blocking Jesse at every turn as he kept trying to chase the shoreline drifting further and further away. But the brief energy his fear-adrenaline had given him drained away when the man spoke again. Jesse shook on his unbalanced fins, flopping to the side pathetically. He’d tried. Now he was going to be dragged back to the cold room again – the cold, dark room with the cold woman who reeked of blood. Jesse closed his eyes with a huff of breath, accepting his fate.

He heard the man make a gentle noise, so reminiscent of one of the new-born pups that it caught Jesse’s attention almost instantly. It was a noise of pain, of longing, and opening his eyes showed the man beginning to slowly kneel on the sand ahead of him. He didn’t look so threatening any more. All relaxed and looking at Jesse with those gentle eyes, teeth hidden behind a soft-looking upturned mouth, water dripping over pale skin as he watched Jesse with nothing but sweet kindness and worry. How long had it been since a human looked at him like that?

 _“Poor thing, you’ve seen many hardships, haven’t you?”_ Jesse heard the tone of the words, but his higher thoughts had abandoned him to the sand, making it hard to rationalise what they meant. Even in the sunlight, he was feeling cold again, all his body heat seemed to be focused in on the end of his fin. Hurting and burning so much, he just wished it would end already. When movement caught his eyes, his head snapped to watch the stranger’s hand moving towards him. The action had Jesse growling, blinking in surprise when the sound made the stranger stop. More of those gentle, affectionate noises tugged at something in Jesse’s heart, something that hadn’t stepped foot on the sand in so many years, something that longed for the touch. It hurt almost as much as the burning in his left side. It was such an odd feeling, to want this stranger, kneeling between him and his escape, to comfort him.

When that hand finished reaching forward and callused fingertips ran over the top of his head, Jesse _melted._

He sighed, or at least tried to, it sounded more like a huff of air through the muzzle, wriggling against the sand and trying to get more of those touches, the feeling of gentle fingers across his own rough skin. He closed his eyes in joy – it had been so long, so very long, since someone, anyone, even Gabe or Livi or anyone else in the colony had shown such a tender touch. The places those fingers scratched or brushed felt beautifully warm, like what he imagined the sunlight would feel like if he just shed his skin…

The man was still talking, soft words full of affection and warmth, nothing cold or malicious like before. Jesse could smell him now. He smelled like the ocean. Like salt water, like the waves on the rocks, like the cool safety of the far-out currents and the sharp tang of the cresting waves. He smelled like the storm clouds that would gather out at sea, like the scent of the air right after a lightning flash. Jesse wanted more.

Those delightfully petting fingers froze when Jesse started moving again. It was taking the last of his strength to do it, but slowly he dragged himself – he was heavy, so heavy against the sand, nothing like how weightless the water felt as it cradled you in her mass – towards that comforting scent of ocean, of warmth and salt and humanity. Until he could bury his nose against that warm skin, soak in it as those gentle hands returned to pet over his leathery skin, tracing the dapples of his coat and scratching through his whispers while that deep voice rolled over his from above. For the first time in years, Jesse felt warm and safe. He felt himself finally drifting towards the blackness that had been rolling over the edges of his conscious ever since he found himself stuck in the divot of the rocks.

A lingering thought that chased its way through Jesse’s animal mind wondered of those hand would feel as good and warm running through his hair as they did over his skin.

 

* * *

 

 

Jesse found himself drifting in and out of consciousness, feeling himself sway like the water was cradling him once more. Wrapping him up in her embrace and shielding him from harm…Except he hadn’t been in the sea when he fell unconscious.

He startled awake at that thought, with a loud bark of fear and surprise. He whipped his head around, moving to balance himself on his fins only to tumble sideways. Lying on his side, staring at the white room flooded with only a shallow amount of water, Jesse felt his heart race against his chest. _No, no not again, not the white room, no…_ He whimpered, trying to shuffle himself around, wondering what had him so off-balance. Getting himself upright was a struggle, but once he was, he took a deep breath, taking stock of what he could see. What he could prove to be true.

White walls. But not the same as before. These ones were clean, unstained and nicely tiled. It also wasn’t even really a room at all. It was small, just big enough for two of him to lie out lengthways. A tiny box of a room with three tall walls on each side. To his left was a tiny wall, short enough for him to see over if he stretched up but tall enough to hold the shallow pool of water he was currently being gently buffeted by with each splash and movement. If he stretched up carefully, he could just barely see out to the rest of the room. So he did – with instant regret. The sight made him whimper and duck down again almost instantly, scrabbling and belly-shuffling away from that wall and thrashing to try and get as far into the back wall as he could.

Table. The long, cold metal table. And the knives. And the needles and the red liquids – _Gabe, help me…_ He thought desperately, trying to curl up in the corner of the tiny prison he was trapped in. Whimpering to himself as he tried to make himself small, instincts demanding he stay still and silent in the face of a predator he couldn’t beat. He was going to die. He was trapped again and going to die.

_‘You’re not back there, you’re not! focus already!’_

Needles and knives. Needles and knives tearing and burning and carving his skin from his bones…

_‘It ain’t that place, it’s ain’t that place…’_

He trembled as he heard a door open, the clicking of heels across the floor sending nausea rolling through him, animal fear warring with human intelligence as he tried to drag his mind into alignment. His head snapped up when a distinctly feminine voice cooed down at him.

“Oh you’re awake! Poor thing, we worried for a moment we’d found you too late.” A gently smiling face leaned over the clear plastic that acted as an extra barrier on top of the half-wall. The woman was blonde and looked tired, but her smile was kind and immediately set Jesse at ease. She smelled of coffee, a faint scent of the sea hanging around her like a mist, and the bags under her eyes reminded Jesse of so many sleepless nights under the stars. If only he could remember why…

Jesse barked as the woman walked away, shuffling out of his corner now he was sure he had nothing to fear, and yelped when he stumbled and rolled onto his side again. What the hell was wrong with his-

His…half-severed fin.

In the reflection of the tiles, Jesse finally caught a glimpse of what had happened to his side. Cuts and abrasions ran the length of his body, some old, some recently healed, but nothing was as bad as the sight of the partial stump at his side. It wasn’t burning any more, but the sight of pink flesh and blood still oozing past the stitches made Jesse’s head spin.

 _‘They cut it off…’_ Jesse felt nausea rolling in his belly at the thought. How was he supposed to swim with one flipper severed? How was he going to balance – shit, how was this going to affect him when he-

“Oh dear, is it starting to hurt again?” the gentle, feminine voice from before called out, snapping Jesse’s attention back up to the shadow casting across his tiny pen. Her eyes were kind and concerned, and even past the strong chemical scents and bitter coffee that made Jesse want to sneeze, he could smell faint traces of the ocean. Just like the other man.

Where was the other man? Jesse wondered. The other man was nice. He smelled like home and treated Jesse kindly. The woman had disappeared again, but returned much more swiftly this time, carrying a large bucket that she balanced on the wall. Jesse sniffed the air and suddenly perked up. He knew that smell.

“Here, this should help the pain - and your weight, poor dear you're dangerously underweight now aren't you?” she smiled kindly, throwing the first fish out to him. Jesse snapped it up immediately, catching it in his jaws and chomping it down. Gods, when was the last time he’d had _fresh fish_ hand-fed to him like this? Another one caught out of the air and Jesse gave a low grumble of joy at finally having food in his belly again.

“Mr Shimada was right, you’re surprisingly docile for such a badly injured seal.” Jesse blinked up at the blonde woman, slapping his fin to convince her to throw another fish, which she did with a soft laugh. “Usually we recommend to keep a distance from seals, especially injured ones, they’re more likely to bite.” Jesse snorted out a breath at that, but his half-functioning human mind took the name she had mentioned and tucked it close like it was a precious secret. ‘ _Shimada, huh…?’_

The woman continued to feed him until Jesse started feeling drowsy and floaty. His whole body felt heavy and sleepy. For once he found he didn’t mind. He was warm and relaxed, didn’t feel in danger, the kind-eyed woman had fed him, and his flipper didn’t hurt for the first time in days. Now if only the pretty man with the warm hands and a scent so familiar to home was here to curl up with and cuddle, everything would be perfect. Almost like the colony.

His last thought before finally succumbing to the blackness was how much Livi would laugh at him when he got back with half a fin.

 

* * *

 

 

The tug of moonlight was what woke him once more. The faint itch beneath his skin, like it was pulled too-tight over his bones, or like something underneath was demanding to break free. He hated that feeling so damn much.

 _“Just shed your skin already and it’ll stop being a problem, idiot pup. You’re not meant to be stuck that way for so long.”_ Gabe’s voice echoed in his head. Jesse tried to ignore it. He’d lived this way for so many years now, but fuck if it didn’t hurt. Like a hundred needles poking him all over, leaving him an aching, writhing mess as he whined and groaned in pain in the tiny holding pen. It would pass. He just had to ride out the waves. It would pass.

“Are you in pain again, poor thing?” Jesse blinked his tired eyes up towards the half-wall, huffing out a tired sigh of air with the energy it took. The blurriness from his right eyes was still prominent, making it difficult to focus in the low-light of the room, but he didn’t need to see to know that scent. It wasn’t as strong now, covered up by artificial scents, but Jesse still felt his heart ache at the comforting smell wafting from the man’s skin. It made him bark excitedly, slapping his fin against the shallow water. He felt almost giddy when he heard the man laugh, a deep sound like rolling thunder across the waves.

“I’m sorry, but Dr Zeigler forbid me to feed you any more until your next dose, she’s worried about you making yourself sick, _Azarashi_.” Jesse cocked his head in confusion at that last word. It didn’t sound like any other word he knew, even when his brain wasn’t still warring against animal instincts. The man brought a hand up to cover his mouth as he stared down at Jesse, and Jesse blinked his eyes as he stared back. The man let out a groan that made Jesse startle forward, afraid the pretty stranger was in pain. When he turned and walked away, Jesse made another whining noise.

“You win, maybe just one won’t hurt…” the man smiled down at him. It was a soft smile, just a gentle upturn of the corners of his lips, just enough to show the edges of straight white teeth, his eyes falling half-closed and those sharp features softening with warmth. “How could I resist such a cute face” he added in a soft coo, reaching down over the half wall to hold out a fish for Jesse. He scrambled forward almost immediately, having to remind himself at the last minute to be gentle. Gentle. Mind the teeth. No hurting. No biting.

He did close his eyes and tilt his head back in delight when those lovely fingertips scratched over his head again, giving another bark of joy and nudging up into the touch. It felt so _good,_ the warm touch helping to ease away the prickling needle-like sensation that continued to drag over his skin. It was everything Jesse could want, and was gone far too quickly as the man pulled back up to standing, looking down at Jesse from on high again like the angel he’d thought he was at the beach.

“You should get some more sleep now, _Azarashi_ , I’ll come back in a few hours, but I have two more residents waiting for me first. Be good, I’ll come back soon” Jesse didn’t stop whining until the stranger had turned his back, disappearing out of sight even as Jesse tried desperately to stretch and watching him leave through the door to the left. ‘ _No, don’t go, stay. Be my Home.’_ Jesse’s thoughts whined.

 _‘I’m alone. I’m alone an’ it’s cold, an’ I’m scared.’_ Jesse barked and grumbled out all his fears as he tried to settle down, but he just couldn’t. Not past the itchy sensation that was only growing steadily worse, not past the ache of loneliness in his chest. Not past the desperate need to be with his Colony once more, even though he didn’t even know where he was to find them – would they even accept him back without Gabe there now?

 _“I want to hold him and be warm and tell him thank you”_ Jesse’s thought shifted away from animal survival. He huffed out another breath and rested his head on the shallow water, just low enough that it didn’t cover his nose. Well, he _could_ say thank you…

It had been two and a half decades since he’d shed his skin

Was it safe?

Would the stranger be like the ones that he had escaped if he knew?

Was it going to hurt…?

Would he _be_ hurt?

He didn’t want to hurt anymore…

**_‘Ow, shit, fuck-!’_ **

 

* * *

 

 

 

Jesse gasped and thrashed as the burning, itching pain grew too strong for him to handle, leaving him a whimpering mess as the awful sensation of his very skin peeling away rushed over him. What was wrong? It hadn’t been this bad since his first night on the ocean. Tiny needles pricked his skin and pulled away flesh from bone, the indescribable feeling of his very physical form altering through the agony. Not even the red liquids and the pain the Bad Woman had put him through had forced the change. Why now? What was wrong with him?

 _“No, come on no, not now…”_ Jesse sobbed silently, shoulders shaking, “ _Please, it hurts…”_ Everything ached with sensitivity, leaving him a twitching mess while messy hair he’d forgotten the colour of tumbled around his face, goosebumps creeping over already freezing skin, just making the shivering and trembling even worse. He knew the pain would pass. He knew it was his own fault for not shifting for so long. He knew Gabe had told him more than once it was dangerous to be under your skin for so long, he knew that it was okay, that the ocean hadn’t abandoned him…

He knew it all, but that didn’t stop the pain. He grit his teeth through it as they shifted from the sharp canines to useless, flat human rectangles, clenching the one hand he still had until his rough, unkempt nails dug into his palm, the other arm starting to burn again as he tried not to scream at the last few stages of his cramped and so very painful legs finally collapsing underneath him. “ _Don’t scream. Don’t tell them where you are.”_ That harsh voice that sounded like Gabe’s echoed in his head again, chasing away the urge to scream until it could smother it into a whimper that still sounded far too loud as it escaped past his lips.

He accidentally inhaled a lung full of water when he first tried to take a breath, not even realising he’d face-planted straight into the shallow water. Coughing up the lungs full of water, Jesse sat curled with his legs to his chest, trying to stay small and unnoticeable in the tiny pen. It felt even colder now he had only his thin human skin covering him. Artificial white light illuminated the room and left his head pound in time with his thumping heartbeat, his very eyes ached in their sockets, the right one hurting even more as that annoying white blurriness that blocked his vision left him almost entirely blind on that side.

“Shiiiiit, Gabe…” he muttered, startling himself with the sound of his own voice. Fuck, was that what he sounded like? He sounded like he’d been swallowing rocks and gravel for the past ten years, disuse and the sudden reappearance of vocal chords leaving him hoarse and rough. “I really fucked up this one…” he sighed, as he closed his eyes against that thrumming headache right behind his eyes, resting them on his forearms to hide from the light. Trying to find the energy to pull himself to his feet was almost impossible, but he did it.

Unsteady feet took the weight of shaking legs, and oh wow even with limited depth perception everything looked so strange from this height. Every fibre of his being trembled like he was going to fall again and his still-working right hand gripped the clear plastic partition at the top of the wall until his knuckles went white to avoid it. He wasn’t brave enough to look at his left yet. At the moment, it simply felt like a numbness. Probably the drugs he was still full of – may they last as long as possible. He closed his eyes to avoid the unpleasant memories the metal table in the room awoke. Just focused on breathing. Just breathe. Adjust.

“Fuck, Gabe, you were right…” Jesse murmured to himself, waiting for the dizziness and shaking to at least become manageable before he tilted his head to look down at the water swirling around his feet and calves. Two decades had left his memory clouded. He forgot what his own body looked like. Forgot his own face after so long seeing a distorted ocean reflection. “We ain’t meant to be stuck like that for so long,” Jesse admitted with a sigh, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at the red swirling in the water.

Red fabric, heavy from weight but not absorbing the water at all. In fact, as he lifted it, the water seemed to roll off of the material as he ran his fingers over it. It was so familiar, and yet it had been so long. Holding it brought back memories of the creak of a rocking chair, stagnant air and dust long-undisturbed, the smell of poppy-tobacco and half a dozen spices in the heat of a lazy Sunday morning. So many memories that he just couldn’t connect with…whose memories where they by now? An ache pulled in his chest as he lifted the old fabric to his face, breathing it in and ignoring the hot pinprick of tears that welled up to his eyes as he realised all he could smell was the ocean and the colony. He couldn’t remember why that was bad. _Why was that so bad?_

The heavy material was at least a comforting weight around his shoulders; that didn’t help ward off the chill from the waist down. A set of nurse’s scrubs in a glass cabinet would probably help – or at least make him presentable. “ _Humans care about that shit. Gotta remember humans ain’t like back on the rock.”_ But that meant moving. That meant stepping. Without falling.

Hooo boy.

 

* * *

 

 

 

His steps were uncertain and terrified like a newborn colt just learning how legs worked. In the middle of a thunderstorm. On a mountain. In the dark. Jesse grit his teeth, taking a few deep breaths as he lifted one leg, then the other, up and over the half-wall. _“c’mon, one foot ‘n front ‘a the other.”_ He thought to himself. It was so strange, seeing everything through human eyes again – well, eye anyway. He really hoped whatever was wrong with his right eye wasn’t permanent. He felt vulnerable when half his vision was a blur like that.

It took perhaps a half hour for Jesse to cross the room without getting within six feet of the metal table – _sharp knives, needles and knives, red liquid, skin carved from bones –_ and work out how to pull the scrubs over his too-shaky legs without sending himself crashing to the floor again. They fell loose and baggy from his underfed form. His stomach growled at that reminder. Food sounded so good right now. Maybe the pretty man would feed him again.

Brown eyes – one a misty, fogged up pale, the other deep and rich like the sun-drenched dirt floors of shallow waters – feel closed as thoughts of the pretty man swirled around his head. Eyes that shone with light like falling stars, a smile that lit his face up so much it reminded Jesse of the moonlight when it hung full and fat in the sky, and that scent.

Home. Colony. Family. Warmth.

Jesse wanted it.

And now he had two legs, two – _one. One and a half_ – arms, and a mouth, and he wanted to thank the pretty man the way humans thank each other. Wanted to be held and fed and discover what those fingers felt like running through his hair. Wanted colony. Family. And if his fractured human mind was correct, he even had a name for his pretty, daring saviour.

_Shimada…_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are such a huge motivation you guys don't even know. Every time I get stuck on any work, I look back at all the wonderful comments of people who've left kudos and it motivates me to write because it's a reminder that physical people are enjoying this silly little idea. I read every single one multiple times, so thank you so much to everyone to leaves one!
> 
> And thank you to everyone who read chapter one and decided this was something worth keeping up with...I'm a very nervous writer, and didn't know how this would be taken. I'm always looking to improve my writing, so any advice regarding layout, formatting or general plot, please feel free to point out to me!


	3. Close your eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of exposition and setup. Hanzo is not good with people. But animals? Well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual it's ridiculous o'clock right now and I just finished writing this. It's a lot of setting scenes and exposition in this one but it sets up the fun shit for the next few chapters. Work is still riding me like I'm the bookies favourite on Derby day, so this is sort of rushed admittedly... As usual, beta-reading and spell-checking will be done in the morning after I've slept because if I leave this in my work docs I will not touch it again. Hey, hope everyone's having a good night.

Overwatch Seal and Marine Life Rescue and Rehabilitation Sanctuary had once been nothing more than a tiny operation. A small handful of five or so volunteers run by Ex-military Commander Jack Morrison (a profession that was strange for someone ex-military to perhaps go into, but if you listened to the rumours around the town enough, people would say that he had lost his love to the sea, and he started the sanctuary to honour them…). Morrison had started the Sanctuary with nothing more than an old beach house turned into a small recovery clinic, handing out his number for people to inform him of injured animals along the coasts, and driving out to pick them up and heal them as best he could in the tiny building.

 With his gruff voice, scarred features, and heavy build…well, some found it incredible the idea had even picked up off the ground. But he’d soon made enough of a name for himself to become a fixture in the local communities. Eventually with that came publicity, from there, phone calls and grants and council allowances. Slowly, the tiny beach home grew into something so very much grander.

Alongside Morrison, an ‘old friend’ as he had put it had soon gone into the operation with him. Madame Ana Amari – no one knew where she had come from, or even when. Some said she had simply always been there. Parents and grandparents would speak of knowing her just as she was now when they were in their youth, then correcting themselves with a laugh that perhaps they were remembering wrong. Other conspiracies whispered in the dark said she was a witch. A shapeshifter. A creature of mysticism that hid the secrets of the very universe underneath the patch on her eye. Jokes that she was secretly immortal were always spoken with a soft shiver of uncertainty and a glance over your shoulder. Just in case.

Regardless of the truth, Ana Amari was an old soul in a wiser-than-her-time form. Together, the two had rallied volunteers and worked tirelessly over the years, eventually creating a space to be proud of. Set into a rolling hill down to a wide river dotted with boats, a streamlined path straight to the ocean, surrounded by trees and filled with only the best of the best equipment, workers, and methods, Overwatch had exploded into a beacon of hope for endangered or injured animals all across the coasts.

There were permanent resident pools for those poor few that they had to agree wouldn’t survive by themselves in the wild. Seals, Sea Lions, native otters, even a few penguins could be seen if one wandered too far from their natural home. Rock pools designed to emulate local flora and ecosystems, a small farm area with working horses, donkeys and Jack’s personal vegetable gardens hidden near the back. The Sanctuary was a haven tucked away from the bustle of the main streets and the noise of the roads. Even when you parked at the very top of the hill, the layout would still force you into walking ten minutes through the car park, through the visitors' centre and eventually down the hill.

Visitors were welcomed five days a week, and schools often brought trips along for the sake of informing the public about the creatures. Not once were any of the animals to be used to perform. The one time a volunteer had suggested they make show-pieces out of the animals ‘like real aquariums do’ that volunteer had been kicked out before he could finish. Jack had always been adamant on that front. They would do basic husbandry training for the sake of medical checkups and feeds. But no ‘shows’. No exceptions.

_“They’re injured, scared, and in some cases won’t ever make it to the ocean again. They’re not circus pets for us to make them do tricks. You wanna watch a damned show, go to sea world.”_

Angela Zeigler, acclaimed as one of the best marine and marine mammal surgeons in Europe, hadn’t taken long to take notice. When she’d turned up at the Sanctuary offering her services, Morrison hadn’t even made her fill out a resume. As the months went on, the team grew and grew, from a few paltry volunteers to a fully fledged team of permanent members and volunteer assistants. Winston and Mei, their resident scientists, had been using the Sanctuary as their base of operation for looking into climate and its effects on ocean currents and marine life and even how to reverse the worst of the effects. Angela had soon acquired friends in the medical clinics in the forms of a young veterinary student volunteer, and a man who just seemed to radiate peace around the room and had a way of calming the creatures that marvelled everyone. They had a fully-fledged team now, paid and volunteer alike, all across the country to go out to calls of injured animals. They had the technology and equipment and the chance to truly help.

 

* * *

 

 

Hanzo wondered to himself in the silence of the night how on Earth Genji had gotten a job somewhere so famous and so out of character for him, of all places Genji could have worked. That question was soon followed by _‘why was he still volunteering there as well?’_. He didn’t have an answer to that yet. Perhaps it had something to do with the way the poor injured seal refused to break hazy eye contact the entire time Angela and Lucio wheeled it into the surgery suite, leaving Hanzo stock-still in the white corridor, awkwardly watching the metal door falling shut behind them. A cold little ball of nerves wriggled its way into his chest as a nasty image of the poor thing flatlining on the surgery table suddenly bloomed inside his mind.

No, don’t even consider that. Angela would save him.

“Going to block the hall up all day, brother?” Hanzo snapped out of his slow spiral of concern (not fear.) and whipped his head around to face Genji. His brother grinned at him, his eyes looking over Hanzo’s form. “Well someone was certainly at work this morning, you smell like a fish market.” He added with a laugh. Hanzo frowned, his shoulders hunching up. He knew he was still in his wetsuit, which was itching like hell now it had begun to dry against him. His hair was a tangled mess behind him, and he knew he likely still reeked of seawater. No wonder Genji was laughing at him.

“Hey, Hanzo…I was just joking - are you alright?” he flinched away from the hands on his shoulder, immediately ignoring the guilt that welled up at the response.

“I’m fine. Just a long morning.” Hanzo murmured back to his brother, forcing his head back upright, looking at his brother’s eyes, the brows pulled tight in confusion and his usually smiling mouth tugged downwards. Hanzo felt anxiety wriggling in his chest at the look. He was fine. He was **_fine_**. He had to prove to Genji he was fine.

“I am at your disposal until the evening. What is today’s schedule?” He asked, drawing himself upright and forcing a somewhat pleasant smile, watching just slightly to the left of Genji’s vision. He was afraid if he made eye contact, Genji would see the nightmares and the fear that crept at the edges of his thoughts so often. He was fine. _Fine…_

So, he ignored the way his younger brother frowned even more; pretended not to see how his eyes were tight with concern. He held the false smile to his face just long enough for that concerned frown to fade away. It was soon replaced by a bright grin that made Hanzo wary. ‘ _Oh No…_ ’ Nothing ever good came from that light in his brother’s eyes.

“Well since Angela won’t be done with your seal friend for a while, I can show you what Lena brought in last night!”

“Another injury?” Hanzo asked, trailing behind his brother as they moved through the brightly lit hallway, away from the surgery suite and the poor seal who had stared so helplessly up at Hanzo only a few hours ago. He prayed they’d found him in time. At least the poor dear was in the best hands.

“Not quite! Angela has a task she wants you to take on until further notice - I think you’re gonna like this!”

Hanzo doubted that.

 But hey, broken clocks and all that.

 

The first thing Hanzo noticed when Genji pushed open the door to one of the holding rooms was the sudden onslaught of loud squeaks and high-pitched noises. For a brief moment, Hanzo thought that Genji had just decided to set off a crate of those awful rubber chicken things again (the noise still haunted him for days even after he threw them all out. That godawful wailing ringing in his ears…) until he noticed one of the pens in the corner where the sound was coming from. Genji stood next to it, leaning on the half-wall of the pen, grinning widely over at him and waving for Hanzo to join him.

When Hanzo looked into the pen, he had to bite down hard on his tongue to avoid making any embarrassing noise in front of his brother. The two brown shapes curling over each other, stumbling on shaky legs as they congregated at the wall directly beneath where Hanzo was leaning over, little fluffy snouts turned upwards and beady button eyes blinking up at the two of them in curiosity. Hanzo brought a hand up to cover the smile creeping across his mouth at the sight of tiny paws slipping against the white tiles, two long bodies pushing and fighting against one another, clamouring for their attention.

“How old are they?” he asked, not taking his eyes away from the wriggling mass even as Genji chuckled next to him and vanished from his peripheral.

“five weeks or so, according to Zen - Lena found them yesterday. They’re weak and underfed, still on milk at this stage, but their mother was nowhere to be found...possibly killed, it doesn’t look like a rejection anyway.” Genji clattered around in the background. “We’re going to keep them here and see if we can train them to take to the ocean so they can be released…but at such a young age, they might never make it. We’re playing by ear at the moment.” Genji continued rambling away behind him, while Hanzo slowly leaned over the wall, holding a hand out in front of the two squirming little bundles. Both of them squeaked and chittered louder, sniffing around his fingers and bumping their fluffy brown heads against them curiously, those adorable little noses twitching and the occasional nibble of teeth and tickle of whiskers against his fingers making it impossible to hide his smile.

“You wanna hold them, don’t you Hanzo~?” Genji’s teasing voice sounded right next to his ear, startling him and making him drag his arm away from the two squirming balls like he had been burned. He glared at his brother while Genji howled with laughter. “It’s okay Hanzo! Angela needs someone to look after them almost full time for a week or two, and they bit everyone else who got that close.”

Hanzo found himself looking back down into the pen. They hadn’t even shown any sign of aggression with him. No biting, clawing, nothing. Just the gentle nudges of tiny black noses and cute little muzzles butting against his fingers. Genji was overreacting again.

“Here, take this.”

Hanzo startled backwards from the pen when Genji’s voice suddenly appeared directly to his right again, removing his hand as if he’d been burned. Genji was grinning again, setting a tray down with two baby bottles perched on it.

“Congrats on your new children,” Genji said with a face-splitting grin, “Angela wants you to take care of them until we can release them into the main pool. Have fun brother!” Genji called out, weaving around Hanzo towards the door with a dismissive wave of his hands.

“Wh- Genji, what are you-?”

“Enjoy your new project! Watch the claws! and the teeth!” Were the parting words as the door fell shut behind his brother, leaving Hanzo in silence once more. Well, except for the squeaking growing louder behind him.

“Ridiculous…” Hanzo grumbled, staring at the closed door, then back at the baby otters, trying to pretend the way their little paws scrambled and slipped over the tiled walls wasn’t adorable. He was not going to be a fool about this. He was not.

 

* * *

 

When ten minutes later found himself with an arm full of Otter pup, the second one still squeaking wildly as it clambered and climbed over his legs, Hanzo simply reminded himself that it wasn’t like anyone would see him unless they watched the camera back. And there was no audio on those.

“Look at you, you’re not biting or angry, you just needed a good warm place to feel safe in, hm?” he cooed down at them with a smile. “Such a hungry little one aren’t you?” Hanzo couldn’t help murmuring to the cute little bundle in his arms, watching black eyes fall shut into bliss as that adorable brown muzzle and those long whiskers continuing guzzling down the milk, a few white drops dribbling into brown fur.

“That’s it, need to grow strong so you can protect each other in the ocean, isn’t that right? You’ll need all the strength you can get to swim out there…” he continued, the hand cupping the baby otter to his chest running a thumb over the fluffy brown coat along its side. “hm, getting sleepy now you’re full of food I see” he kept murmuring and baby talking. He couldn’t help it, they were too cute _not_ to.

Genji had to have been exaggerating. There was no way these two had an aggressive bone in them.

Claws dug into his leg, thankfully hardly leaving any pressure at all through the itching, gritty wetsuit he still hadn’t found the time to change out of. At this point, he’d simply resigned himself to the awful chafing and he was going to end up with. Hey, it was worth it to see the way the other Otter dragged its body up over Hanzo’s lap and over his arms, almost dislodging its sibling as it flopped down on top of it, squabbling for the space in Hanzo’s arms in a mess of brown fur and high squeaking.

“Hey, hey now! Be patient, wait your turn, _Kawa-kun_ ” Hanzo scolded, placing the bottle down so it wouldn’t be upended, then picking up the wriggling pest and rearranging the two of them until both rested peacefully in the crook between his arm and chest. Snuggled up against one another, the squeaking final ended, Hanzo reaching for the second bottle and feeding the little one (dubbed _Kawa-kun_ ) while the first one (which Hanzo had named _Umi-kun._ Hey, if Dr Zeigler was going to give him free reign of them…) gave what could almost have been called a petulant huff before settling in for a nap, paws coming up to cover its little muzzle while it buried its face against Hanzo’s chest. 

Okay, he had to give Genji credit, he liked this. This was the best thing he’d done all week. He bit his tongue again to avoid cooing at the adorable snout nuzzling against his ribs.

Hanzo hadn’t even realised how long he sat there, cradling the two adorable baby otters and murmuring sweet little nothings to the pair of them as they drifted off to sleep in his arms, until a soft, melodious chuckle filled the room, a shadow falling over the pen. Hanzo’s eyes shot up, holding the otters a little closer as if he could hide them from whoever had arrived.

“It’s alright, Shimada-san. It’s only I.” Spoke the gentle voice of Madame Amari, her voice rolling like the waves over Hanzo’s sudden frazzled nerves. Shoulders lost their tension and Hanzo released a breath slowly. Ana Amari’s one good eye shone with delight as she smiled down at him, looking at the tiny bundle he was protecting so fiercely.

“I see Genji showed you our newest residents…and I heard talk that you called in for an emergency of your own this morning.” She said with a smile, resting her hands calmly on the half wall. Ana was perhaps one of the few people Hanzo truly felt calm around. She didn’t speak for the sake of speaking and understood the joy of silence like no one else. Like the water, she could be fierce or tranquil. Hanzo found a certain resonance with her for it.

She chuckled softly again, pushing some of the grey hair back from her face. “Yes…an adult Male Grey seal, with heavy lacerations and a half-missing fin on the left side. He is lucky you found him when you did, Shimada-san.”

“I was simply doing my job, Madame Amari.” Hanzo murmured out, lowering his voice when it made the otters stir a little in his arms.

“You have a way with creatures of the sea, Hanzo.” That caught his attention, Ana almost never called him by his first name. He glanced up from the cradle of sleeping fur to look at the kind smile and wisdom in those eyes. “The grey seal you brought in. Angela tells me he was perfectly docile the entire time you were with him. However, the moment he was in the surgery room he began to show signs of stress again. He took to you very quickly. Just as the otters do.”

“You know I won’t accept, Madame Amari. As kind as it is, I am content with my place for now.” Hanzo replied, hiding behind his hair as he found himself gritting his teeth. Every damn time he was up here…why couldn’t they drop it? “Did Genji put you up to this? Is that why he left me here with them?” The thought hurt, and he ground his teeth tighter at the thought.

“I had hoped you would know me better than to think the little Sparrow could put me up to anything. The otters are a project for you, regardless of any ‘offers’ made in the past.” Hanzo glanced up, seeing nothing but sincerity in her gaze as she rested on her crossed arms over the half-wall, the lines in her wise face deepening with her smile. “You’re alright, Shimada-san. I will not push you as Jack or Genji do… I did wish to let you know that Angela has finished up in the surgery. She’s confident your seal will make a good recovery – However, whether or not he’ll make it back into the ocean is another matter.”

“What do you mean?”

“The injury to his fin is severe. Incredibly so. It may affect his balance in the water. His hunting skills. His ability to swim and keep up with a colony. Angela has done what she can, the rest is up to him now.” Angela sighed softly, reaching down slowly towards the otters. If she noticed how Hanzo held them tighter and backed away half an inch, she didn’t react to it. Simply continued to reach forward and slowly stroke her fingertips over the Otter’s fluffy fur. “All we can do now is support and hope he can compensate for it.”

The mood around the both of them dropped at that knowledge. Taking in permanent residents was always a bittersweet time. Sure, they knew the sure the animal was safe and would be fed and have a safe life…but to take a creature like that away from its home was always a sad thought. Silence coiled around the both of them for a moment, before Ana drew her hand back and stood up straight again.

“Have you named them?”

“ _Kawa_ and _Umi_ ” Hanzo replied, looking back down at the fluff bundle with a small smile.

“How sweet. A fitting choice for them” Ana smiled again, standing up fully now and looking towards the clock on the wall. “Angela will be out of surgery now. You may take them with you, go and see your seal if you wish.”

“Perhaps in a moment. When they wake up and I can settle them down.”

“Nonsense. They will be settled with you as they are now, I promise it. Go, see your seal before the anaesthesia wears off.” Ana nodded her head towards the door, unlatching the pen while the otters slumbered on. Hanzo didn’t even waste his breath arguing, just slowly rose to his feet.

“And Hanzo?”

“Yes, Madame Amari?”

“While you’re there, perhaps convince the good doctor to finally ask my daughter out. It’s getting painful to watch them dance around each other like a pair of awkward courting birds.”

Hanzo could only chuckle. “I will attempt it, Madame Amari.”

“Do not call me that, Shimada-san.”

 

* * *

 

“Ah, Shimada! I see Genji showed you our newest long-term project. Thank you so much for agreeing to take them on.” Were the first words that greeted Hanzo as he stepped through the door into the main clinic. He looked around the room, scanning the two empty holding pens and frowning deeply. Where was his…? No, stop thinking of it as ‘yours’. Hanzo curled his hands a little tighter around the otters, flinching when he felt the huff of one of their breaths over his wrist. Hanzo turned to the doctor only to be beaten to his question.

She smiled at him and spun on her chair to motion towards the metal door that connected the clinic to surgery. Hanzo noticed the dark circles under her eyes first. Then glancing to one of many, many cups of coffee still steaming on her desk. He was fairly sure she was still in the same trousers and blouse she had worn yesterday when he had seen her. He frowned at the sight. How long had she been here?

“Your seal is in the holding pen in the surgery suite still. Whilst Zenyatta and I are confident in the stitches and the antibiotics in use, we both agreed it would be better to have him close at hand in case he should pull them out or in case there is complications. If you take a look at these X-rays it shows the portion of the fin we had to remove and the-”

“When did you last rest, Doctor Zeigler?” Hanzo immediately blurted out, kicking himself at the awkward segue. ‘ _How tactful, imply the woman looks exhausted the moment you see her’._ The sudden change in topic startling the Doctor into looking up at him. The surprise was soon covered up with a smile and a gentle hand wave.

“Your concern is touching, but I’m fine. I will get some rest tonight in between doses for the residents.”

“You are not going with Genji tonight? He informed me everyone here was invited.” Hanzo tried again, mechanically rubbing his thumb over the soft otter fur to try to calm the pool of nervous energy. He wasn’t good at small talk. At least the two otters in his arms gave him a distraction.

“Ah, no. I wanted to, but between the otters and your seal, I don’t want to force Zenyatta or Lucio to stay behind. I will get some rest. Did you want to see the Se-”

“I will stay behind tonight. Go and relax with your co-workers.” Hanzo cut her off, immediately flinching back. Why did he say that? Why did he interrupt her like that? Why was holding a conversation so difficult when it wasn’t about animals?

Dr Zeigler’s face gave away her shock at the blunt offer, her eyebrows pulling together as she rose from her chair to stand opposite him, crossing her arms over her chest and shifting her weight to one leg.

“Mr Shimada, if this is-”

“Go with Genji. Relax. Talk to Madame Amari’s daughter and get some rest. Set out dosages, then label them up. I can do the rest.” Hanzo spoke again. Angela’s frown deepened as she stared back at him.

“The man’s right, Angie!” a third voice startled the both of them as the surgery door swung open, a head full of dreadlocks sticking itself around the corner of the door, a body soon following and carrying a box full of vials and tubes labelled with Winston’s handwriting. Blood results then.

“c’mon, you’ve been there three days with no rest, and we all trust Mister Shimada to take care of them. Even Jack’s coming tonight! Take a night off!” Lucio piped in again with a grin. No one could say no to that smile. It was infectious, like the music of his own making Hanzo knew he played through the building. If he felt closer to him, Hanzo may even have spoken to him about the music.

Faced with Hanzo’s unmoving frown and Lucio’s encouraging smile, Hanzo knew she wouldn’t hold out.

 

* * *

 

 

Which had lead to where Hanzo was now. As soon as he had finished up the evening class on the beach, he was back at the sanctuary, using the staff showers and finally removing the awful gritty wetsuit that had stuck to his skin. His hair was still damp when he finally tied it back off his face, but at least it wasn’t stiff from the ocean again. His spare sweatpants and vest left him comfortable, and as he bade everyone goodbye and set to securing the building from the inside, he felt peace wash over him. Golden sunlight dyed the walls through the glass windows, his muffled footsteps tapping over the floor as he walked through the silent building. No more noise of people or rush of bodies moving around one another. Peace, sweet peace at last.

Kawa and Umi were his first stop, the two little otters immediately squeaking and scrambling for the wall again when h poked his head over the wall of their pen, watching them practically kicking wood chippings out of the way to scramble for him. _‘How cute…’_

“Hello there, little ones, feeling playful now you’ve napped?” he chuckled down at them, reaching down a hand. Kawa’s soft, leathery little paws gripped his fingertips while Umi butted against the edge of his hands to affectionately. “You aren’t violent, are you? Did they just judge you too soon?” he hummed, tilting his head down at them and twirling his fingers through the air, feeling his chest warm as Kawa and Umi gripped at him tighter, lightly nibbling at his fingers. “You two are due some food soon, I have someone to check on first though, be good both of you.” The soft squeaks followed him out of the room, down the hallway to the surgical clinic. According to Angela’s instructions, his seal would need more of the antibiotic-laced fish in an hour, but the fish in the fresh tank where fine to give alongside it if he was hungry.

Hanzo immediately went alert as he opened the door, the sound of something whining and in pain echoing through the space. He was across the room in a heartbeat, frowning down at the seal that writhed in its pen. Stark white waterproof bandages covered the stump of a fin, keeping it secure while the biotic creams and antibiotics did their work on the infection. It was missing a substantial amount more than when he’d found the poor thing on the beach – they must have had to remove a lot of infected or dead tissue to get a clean cut. The poor thing…Hanzo spoke before he could even stop himself, immediately becoming enraptured by those big, dark eyes as they shot around to stare at Hanzo in sudden fear.

“Are you in pain again, poor thing?” Those huge dark eyes blinked slowly in exhaustion – from the drugs Dr Zeigler had administered earlier most likely – but the bark he gave was clearly one of joy, and the slap of fins splashing against the shallow water wasn’t aggressive at all. “I’m sorry, but Dr Zeigler forbid me to feed you any more until your next dose, she’s worried about you making yourself sick, _Azarashi.”_ Uncreative, but it would do until they could get a proper name for him.

Speaking of, the seal suddenly tilted its head to the side in the cutest display of confusion Hanzo had ever seen. Those _eyes_! Hanzo brought a hand up instinctively to cover his mouth and muffle the pathetic noise that wanted to escape. It was too adorable, the soft confusion and huge puppy-eyes on the seal as it stared up at him. He groaned, turning away from the seal, heading for the ice tank with the fresh fish stored in it.

“You win, maybe just one won’t hurt…” He called back out, picking up a decent sized fish in his bare hand and leaning over the wall. The seal immediately struggled forward, unbalanced and lunging his face forward for the fish. For a brief moment, Hanzo thought he would lose his fingers as well…so it was surprising how gently it took the fish from his hand, chomping it down with a contented grumble. Hanzo huffed out a soft chuckle, unable to resist the urge to lean down and stroke his fingers over the sweet creature’s head again, humming in silent joy at the way those beautiful eyes fell closed in joy at the feeling.

It was difficult to pull his hand away. The temptation to just stay there all night was stronger than it had any right to be. But he still had two hungry baby otters in the other room, and a few hours until _Azarashi_ was next due to be fed. He sighed and reluctantly pulled his arm away with one last affectionate scratch.

“You should get some more sleep now, Azarashi, I’ll come back in a few hours, but I have two more residents waiting for me first. Be good, I’ll come back soon.” Hanzo promised. It was difficult to keep his feet moving away from the whining and crying barks behind him, noises of distress calling out for him. But there were others to care for. He couldn’t dedicate all his time to just one resident. Dr Zeigler would never allow him to stay again if he couldn’t prove himself. What if she even got him fired if he couldn’t take care of…? What if something happened to…?

 _Enough._ Everything was going to be fine. He kept telling himself that even as he scooped up both the otters again, moving across the room to the fold-down bed in the wall, designed for those nights when someone needed to be in the building for medicine or late-night test results. (It was much more common than you’d think.)

_Everything is going to be fine._

The squeaking of the otters in his arms helped to repel the oppressive silence of the building, and he murmured gentle words of affection to both as he cuddled them close. Under his skin, he could feel his dragons rumbling in warm joy at the easy affection given and returned. It didn’t completely remove the grey storm clouds gathering in his head, thoughts of everything that could go wrong in this one night… why did he offer to stay? Why did he think it was sensible? What if something happened? What if his seal pulled his stitches out? He wouldn’t know underneath those bandages, it could be getting infected right now. What if one of the otter babies had complications…?

A tiny paw slapped on his cheek, snapping out of the cycle of nervous thoughts. He blinked to clear the blur from his vision and smiled warmly at the otter baby in front of his nose, Umi’s whiskers twitching while Kawa climbed his shoulders. Apparently the two were done with the bottle he’d been mindlessly holding for them to drink from.

“I’m alright you two, I’m alright…why don’t we all get some sleep for now, sleep time. Settle down…” he kept murmuring, setting his phone down on the cabinet nearby with an alarm for one hour’s time before settling onto the bed for a nap. He was exhausted, such a long day finally catching up with him, and maybe some sleep before _Azarashi’s_ next dose would clear some of the bad thoughts from his mind. To his pleasant surprise, the otters immediately found sanctuary on his chest, curling up and hugging each other there as he chuckled at them.

“I wonder why Genji said you two were aggressive…” he murmured, stroking over their long fluffy bodies as he allowed himself to drift off to sleep in the slowly creeping moonlight. It was just an hour. Nothing would happen in an hour…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo. Next chapter will see these two dorks meeting properly. Excuse me while I go and start writing that. Everyone who has left a comment or a kudos or even bothered to read over this, thank you so very, very much you have no idea how amazing it is to read all the sweet comments you guys leave. I'm sorry this is sort of a boring chapter but unfortunately background shit is important later on. Hopefully the next chapter will be a little more interesting and actually involve these two dorks.
> 
> Also, um...I'm not very good at writing short chapters. So I wanted to ask, is this chapter word-length okay? it's like 5000 words or so, if it's too long or dull to read, I'll attempt to shorten stuff down, but yeah, please let me know...


	4. and sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you're both exhausted and running 20 hour days on little sleep, expect consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter...gave me a lot of hassle. I still don't like it. The usual system applies (It's currently 3:05 am) I will proof and spell check when I am not sleep-deprived...hope all are well.

Had the moonlight always been so beautiful…?

Jesse stared out the windows of the hallway outside the room he’d been held in with wonder in his eyes. He hadn’t seen the sky so closely in years…standing up on his feet now made him feel like if he just reached out, maybe he could touch it…So pretty where it hung low and welcoming in the sky…

He stood there for a while, trying to make his blurry right eye focus on the sight in front of him. It was so frustrating, only giving him more of a headache to match the ache in his knee and the numb off-kilter feeling on his left side. No matter how much he squinted, rubbed at it, blinked or anything, the blind mist continued to cover his right-sided vision. It made him nervous, being vulnerable on that side. Too vulnerable for his liking. Too open. Too alone. Too quiet.

His sigh sounded far louder than it truly was in the empty hall, and he wrapped her serape tighter around his shoulders to ward off the chill in the room. Cool tiles beneath his feet didn’t help. It was so hard to be cold without thick skin and blubber to protect you. ‘ _Find him… the warm, kind man…’_ his thoughts echoed around his head, tugging his vision away from the window and the starry sky above him, the lines of trees shadowed against the sky and in the distance, the soft silvery light of the moon reflecting on the ripples of water. He could smell so many scents in the air, some familiar, some not so. Ocean, water, fur, foliage, the welcoming scents of the natural world that weaved their way through everything…and then were buried underneath stronger, harsh scents like the ones that had been in the room he was in only a few moments ago. Overwhelming his already damaged human mind.

Too long. Much too long. Stupid. _Stupid, idiot, foolish pup…_

Every step made his knee throb a little harder, leaving him limping on one side as he shuffled down the corridor. At each door he passed he would press his face to the glass, squinting to see inside until his breath fogged up his view. It was too strange. His vision, even ignoring the milky white fog blinding his right eye, was sharper than it had been on land as a seal, but compared to his water vision everything may as well have been a blur of colours and shades. The scents of chemicals and cleaning supplies assaulted his senses, overpowering even a human’s dulled sense of smell. His hearing, usually sharp enough to hear an orca call miles away in the water, had abandoned him. He may as well have been deaf!

Muted senses, damaged body… ‘ _fuck’,_ Jesse grumbled to himself as he continued down the hallway. His footsteps slapped against the tiled floor unevenly with each heavy step, almost dragging his aching knee behind him. ‘ _Why the hell’d Gabe even leave the ocean if this’s the alternative?’_

He’d almost given up on finding his personal saviour until he reached the second to last door. Pressing his face up against the glass and wincing when he bumped his stump of an arm against the wood, he squinted into the shadows as best he could. A small rectangle of light illuminated the room slightly; moonlight leaking in through the window. He pressed harder.

Then flew backwards to the opposite wall when it inched closer with a creak. A storm thundering in his chest as the door slowly swung open from the weight he had been leaning on it. The faint creaking felt a hundred times louder in the silence of the night. Heart in his throat, Jesse crept forward, hand reaching out to push the door open the rest of the way and skittering backwards again in case danger lurked in the shadows beyond the door.

Nothing.

“Get it together McCree, you’re better than this.” He grumbled to himself with a sigh. This fear was so uncharacteristic… he hadn’t been so on edge in decades. Hell, he used to run with _gangs._ He’d once had to regularly outrun entire Orca pods to lead them away from home. Take down nets and traps without even needing his hands. Now he was jumping at shadows? Hell no.

He pulled himself up straight. He wasn’t afraid. Not of anything.

So he stepped with light movements over the cold tiled floor, creeping into the room and keeping his back to the wall as he looked around. His very breathing seemed too loud for the stillness filling the air. He would have thought the room empty again if something hadn’t shifted to his right. He snapped his head around, holding his breath. A shape. On a bed. A person.

His saviour.

Jesse’s heart thudded hard in his chest as he crept closer and closer across the room, wishing the moonlight would tread just a little further across the floor from the tiny window. Just a little more and his pretty saviour would be illuminated. Even in the shadows with one eye fucked up, Jesse could still make out some features. They slowly drew into focus as he finally crossed the room. Leaning over the man in the uncomfortable bed and just…taking him in.

Dark hair, dark like the deepest waters he’d even dived into, dark like the moonless sky above. Dark hair spread out over white fabric, curling around a face full of angles. Sharp cheekbones, sharp jawline covered with a beard - Jesse raised a hand to his own shaggy mess, scratching through the coarse hairs there…he hadn’t had one before he transformed.

Damn, that was a thought. _What did he even look like now…?_

A hand curled underneath the pillow behind the man’s head. His broad chest rose and fell in steady, rhythmic breathing, lungs drawing in deep and releasing gently, wide pectoral muscles cradling the two long wriggling shapes there. Jesse leaned closer. He just wanted to see better…to remember the face that held him close and got him out of that trap, got him somewhere safe and warm and full of food…

Because even with his fractured memories, he didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful person in all his life.

Soft-looking lips, slightly parted and lax from sleep caught Jesse’s eyes. The slight whistle of breath slipping through the space between teeth. More fractured memories started to swell in his head. Strangers – no, not complete strangers – just unknowns then? Acquaintances? Who…?

Hands. His hands. Both of them – before. Twisting into hair, stroking through soft strands. Curling hair over itself. Hands holding, hurting, steadying and learning.

Body heat from people close to him. Too close. Too close – not threats. Not yet. So many memories and flashes of images that tried to fight their way past the pounding of his headache as it began to beat louder like a drum demanding attention.

Lips. Curled up to wide smiles. Small smiles. Shy smiles. Loud smiles… Framing white teeth - straight, crooked, chipped, missing… Lips pressed to his own, the pleasant feeling of a warm body pressed against his chest. Holding a partner close. Pleasure and heat…

_Touch Him…_

The thought came out of the blue, catching Jesse off guard as he suddenly realised how close he’d been leaning, the heavy red fabric of his serape almost slipping from his shoulders to sweep like a soft caress over the skin of the man’s shoulder beneath him. He couldn’t. The guy didn’t even know he was there. But oh it was tempting…human touch again after so long…his fingertips itched with the need…

And it was just…saying thank you, right?

People did that, didn’t they? A kiss in thanks, handshakes in greeting, hugs in farewell…it was just…saying thank you…

Jesse’s heart was in his throat as he raised his right hand slowly, reaching out to just gently brush his fingers across the soft skin of the cheek of the man who had saved him…

Right before pain erupted in his remaining hand and fire raced down his arm.

“ _What the Fuck-?!”_

Jesse reared backwards with a howl of pain, hissing as he hit the floor and snarling as he finally saw what had attached itself to him. Otters. Two tiny little demon-creatures clawing at his remaining arm while one bit into his palm painfully.

“ _Little fucking demons-”_ Jesse growled out, bringing his hand up and snapping his teeth at the otter trying to climb his arm, the creature making high-pitched shrieks as it dug needle-like claws deeper into the fabric of his serape – _stop that, don’t tear it, don’t hurt_ \- He snapped his arm out, trying to throw the hellbeasts off of him but the one glaring up at him with its teeth buried in his hand wasn’t letting go without a fight even as he bared his own teeth in threat. Jesse raised his left arm in an instinctive motion to try to knock the other one off of his shoulder where he could feel it trying to claw for his face if he could just fucking _see_ past the blurry white but he knew it was there-

Only for those claws to rake more fire over the stump of his arm he’d forgotten about.

More echoing cries of pain were torn from him again, curses in languages he didn’t even remember speaking tumbling from his mouth as Jesse writhed on the floor, giving up trying to remove the monsters tearing into him. Tiny claws became daggers under his ribs. Teeth became bullet wounds. Needles and knives again…Nothing but pain again…

“hurts, hurts, **_stop-”_**

They never stopped.

Until, suddenly and surprisingly, it did.

 

* * *

 

 

As suddenly as the onslaught had started, it was over. The teeth were gone and the claws stopped, leaving only the ache and pulse of small wounds behind – and the fire burning in his arm once more, reminding him even more keenly of what he had lost. He shook on the cold tiled floor, trying to drag himself back to his human thoughts.

When he finally uncurled from the ball he had twisted himself into, protecting his aching arm from the attack, he blinked into the low light of the room and finally saw the shape standing above him. Those beautiful eyes that had stared at him so kindly were hard and cold now. Jesse flinched away as he saw teeth bared at him. The otters still wriggling in the man’s arms make loud chirrups of aggression as they climbed the man’s shoulders. He was angry. Why was he…?

“Who are you?” Jesse found himself flinching back at the growl in that voice. Predator. Threat. Jesse let out a soft whine, trying to find human speech. But nothing made it past the invisible hand pressing tighter and tighter to his throat. The urge to just rip his skin back over his head and hide as a seal again was growing stronger, warring against the need for humanity after so long stuck that way.

“ ** _Who. Are. You?!”_**

Jesse jerked backwards again, away from the anger in that voice. Screw being strong and brave. He dragged his knees up to his chest, coiling around his damaged left arm again, tucking it under the heavy red fabric as he tried to hide again. He didn’t want the man to be angry at him. Jesse only wanted to say thank you. To hold him and leech away some of the warmth that radiated from him until he could finally shake off the chill of the ocean.

His legs shook as Jesse tried to stand, feeling the throb of tiny cuts and bites over his hands and scratches by his cheek courtesy of the demons his saviour was still holding close. Heart thumping in his chest, Jesse took a slow step forward. ‘ _Don’t attack me darling, I don’t wanna fight_.’ He thought softly to himself, dropping his shoulders and trying to make himself small, every part of his language projecting _‘harmless. No threat. Gentle.’_

If only he could _say_ it. Why was talking to people so hard?

He was surprised when instead of the snarling attack he had come to expect from predators, the man instead backed up away from him, remaining defensive of the bundles in his arms over anything else. He was acting…afraid. No longer a Hunter. Jesse had seen this behaviour in cornered predators. Jesse frowned at him sadly. Was…was he afraid of Jesse…?

_‘Talk to him…be human for once in your goddamned life._ ’

“I-I-” He tried to find the words. Anything to make the figure see he wasn’t a threat. Wasn’t dangerous. Wasn’t there to hurt. He could see his captor’s eyes in the moonlight now. His stranger. His pretty saviour now staring at him with animal aggression and a sliver of fear in those beautiful eyes. He had to say something.

“I-it’s…Shimada, right?”

Wrong choice. Wrong choice. **_Very wrong choice._** Jesse backed up immediately when Shimada’s eyes went wide in surprise, then narrowed in cruel anger. When Jesse felt the wall at his back he held one arm up pathetically, as if he could hold that anger at bay. “W-whoa now, I ain’t-”

“If you wish to keep your tongue in your head, you will tell me how you know that name and how you got in here. Speak fast, and maybe I will let you leave.”

“I heard the woman earlier say it. Blonde woman. Smells of coffee.” Jesse said, his eyes widening a little as that at least makes the man stop his angry steps forward. He holds himself awkwardly. Stiff and assertive even in the barely-there moonlight. Jesse aches with an old need to pet him and comfort him. In the silence between them, the otters he holds close finally settle their angry squeaks and chirrups, the little light there is reflecting from their beady black eyes as they stare at Jesse. ‘ _Damned demon creatures…’_ He pretended it wasn’t jealousy in his chest.

“…Turn on the light. Let me see you.” Came the clipped voice after silence reigned for a minute or so. Jesse was glad for the distraction, muttering a soft ‘sure thing’ as his hand reached out to brush the wall, but still, he kept his gaze forward, reaching blindly along the wall to his right, that annoying whiteness making it much harder to find any kind of switch.

“Higher.” The man told him with a sigh, his sentences snappy and impatient. “Close to shoulder height. Can’t you see it?” Jesse didn’t answer that. Just hunched his shoulders a little higher and crept his hand up the wall, awkwardly trailing his fingertips across the cold white plaster until at last the plastic of the light switch bumped against his fingers. Jesse had to shut his eyes as the bright light filled the room, the sudden change in lighting sending the otter pups crazy. Even with his dulled hearing Jesse couldn’t help but huff out a laugh listening to the gentle shushing noises and soft cooing sounds Shimada was making to soothe them. It also meant he caught the sudden hissed intake of breath and shuffling of footsteps.

“So uh…” Jesse slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the harsh white lighting. It wasn’t helping the right-sided blindness, if anything he could already feel his headache worsening. “’M sorry if I scared you before, didn’t mean t’-”

“Your name.”

Jesse startled, glancing up at the man who had saved him. Those eyes that had looked at his seal-skin so warmly now stared on cold and hesitant. Jesse may not understand human language too well yet, but body language was one he read often. And right now his kind-smiling saviour was sending out a hundred signs that clearly read ‘stay back’.

Jesse sighed quietly, his shoulders slumping. He hurt and ached and just wanted a colony-mate to stretch out besides in the warm. Not this cold-eyed man with his shoulder’s hunched and two tiny death-monsters curled around his shoulders and in his arms. He didn’t know how to make the warm words come back.

He could start by answering his question at least. “The name’s Jesse. Jesse McCree. You got something I can call you that y’ain’t gonna set your demons on me again for saying?” He tried with a pathetic little laugh. Sadness crept over his face when all the man did was frown harder.

“Very well, ‘Jesse McCree’. How did you get into this building? Everywhere is sealed. No one would have left you here. You are not a volunteer nor a staff member.”

At least Jesse could answer this one. His heart filled with fragile hope as he shot a shaky smile across the room.

“Why - you brought me in, Darlin’.” Jesse earnestly took a step closer. “Took me in off that beach, brought me here…wanted t’ thank ya.” He stared at those brown eyes, wide in shock and brow furrowed in confusion, and stepped forward again. One more step and he’d be able to reach out and touch him. “Would’a died out there if you hadn’t. You saved me…” Jesse raised his hand –

_“Stop.”_ Jesse froze, watching with a soft whine as he backed away again, those otters squeaking up a fuss, Jesse pulling his hand back after one of them tried to snap for his fingertips. His saviour’s hand came up to run along the brown creature’s body, and Jesse wished he’d just stayed as a seal so he could feel those fingers brushing him so gently again. His bones _ached_ under his skin…

“What hospital did you escape from? You and I have never met, but your – your injuries. Answer me truthfully. Where did you come from?” The words were frantic, stumbled over. Jesse dropped his hand to his heart, rubbing over the red fabric covering his chest where it wrapped over his shoulders.

“Not lying doll. I can prove it.” Jesse’s fingers closed around the red serape. Would…would it even work? It had been so painful to change the first time…Please don’t let it mean the ocean had rejected him. His heart thumped hard in his chest as he clenched the red fabric…

**_BZZZZT. BZZZZT. BZZZZTTTTT._ **

Both of them startled at the sudden sound, overlain with the chirrups and squeaks of confused otters as Shimada whipped around to the source of the sudden noise. The glowing rectangle – phone. – that was buzzing on the side next to the bed he had been sleeping on before Jesse woke him up.

Jesse watched him check the time and frown, softly brushing over the otters curling over his arms. _“Shhh, shhh, hush Kawa, it’s just the phone. Umi you cannot eat it, let that go.”_ Jesse smiled at the quiet words, finding it adorable watching him cup each squirming creature and placing them back into the pen again, more gentle words and sweet whispers as he did so. He was obviously trying so hard to be silent, or at least unheard. How cute…

Jesse flinched back when the man rounded on him with a growl again. “I have a seal to care for. See yourself out however you came in or I will be calling the police if I do not decide to deal with you myself first.” Jesse backed up, holding his arm and hand up in surrender as he tried to scramble out of his path. He wondered if he imagined the look of worry and pity when those sweet eyes shifted to the stump of his arm. And ow, now he was thinking about it, that was throbbing something awful right now.

When the door swung shut and left Jesse alone again, he breathed out a slow breath. “Well…could’a gone worse I guess.” He muttered to himself. He couldn’t understand the animosity… ‘Shimada’ liked him just fine in seal form. Seemed most people did. And he’d been so cute when he cared for him in his skin.

Wait.

_Shit._

 

* * *

 

 

“Wait, Shimada! You-” Jesse tried to run to catch up, staggering into the wall as he ran for the room he had come from. Banging the swollen end of his arm again and stumbling awkwardly on his legs. He saw the door ahead, closed up tight. Jesse hesitated outside of it, staring through the small glass panel nervously. His saviour was just…standing there. Back to the door, all Jesse could see was the dark hair and stiff line of his body. Tense and ramrod still. Like the moment right before a flash of lightning, when everything feels charged in the air. For a brief moment, Jesse considered running, lest he get struck by that lightning. But…

It was strange. For the first time in so long, Jesse wanted something more than companionship, food or sleep. He wanted someone to know who he was. Who he really was. Past the skin and the colony and the years hunting for every meal and wondering if he’d get another one; of living with animal instincts overriding human thought. Gabe would kill him for it. Gabe…would have killed him for it. So would his Abuela. Good thing neither of them was here to judge his stupid life decisions then.

Only one way to set off a time bomb.

_“Please don’t let this end up like last time…”_

The door creaked so loudly as Jesse pushed it open, creeping into the room slowly and letting it swing shut behind him. To his surprise, ti wasn’t so much anger and aggression filling the room. It was fear. Anxiety and adrenaline over anger. This was a minefield already. “Hey, Shimada – I was tryin’ to tell you. The seal’s fine – in fact, I’m th-”

Jesse didn’t get to finish before there was a growl and his head cracked into the wall behind him as he was forced backwards by hands on his shoulders.

“Where is he? Where’s _Azarashi_? If you hurt him I swear I’ll-”

“I been tryin’ to tell you, I _am_ the seal!” Jesse finally managed to raise his voice over the others. Not as tactful or nice as he would have liked but it certainly caught Shimada’s attention. Jesse’s heart filled with hopeful warmth again for a moment as those eyes finally looked at him directly, wide in surprise and something…something strange Jesse couldn’t quite name.

That hope soon sunk like a stone as the man growled again, the walls going up as he snapped again “Enough of this nonsense! Where is he? He is injured and I am in charge of him - if I don’t care for him he…” Anxiety and stress rolled from the man’s scent in waves, feeding into Jesse’s own fear as those hands pressed him harder to the wall.

“I ain’t lying!” Jesse pushed back, baring his own teeth in response to the threat behaviour. “Look, I can prove it! He had a cut-up fin on the left side, right?!” Jesse brought his stump up to the man’s vision, carefully avoiding looking at it himself. He wasn’t ready to look at that yet. Something close to pity flickered behind those walls as Jesse continued to stare desperately at the man, wanting so badly for him to believe him. Did no one know the old stories anymore…? Had everything his _Abuela_ told him been true…?

“A coincidence – a seal does not just become a man! Now tell me before your arm is the least of your concerns, stranger.” Jesse flinched back at those icicled words, striking him in the chest hard. No luck there then. How hard was it to convince this guy? He’d been so cute and sweet when Jesse was a…

 Well…there was one other way…his heart thumped painfully in his chest at the thought. It might hurt…it did the first time…but it might work…

“Then – here, look, back it up a notch or three and I’ll prove it. But you gotta promise not to freak out, alright?” Jesse hated how his voice shook and sounded so small as he stumbled through the words. He was anxious. He’d never told anyone what he was, let alone shown another person. Those brown eyes narrowed in suspicion as the pretty glared at him. Silence reigned between them both for a few moments, until Jesse was truly doubting he’d be let away from the wall.

“…if you try to run, you will not reach the door before you hit the floor.” Jesse’s chest finally relaxed as he was released, continuing to lean against the wall shakily, his hand coming up to run over the red serape.

This was it then.

“Before I do this…mind if I get your name, darlin’?” Jesse decided to try with a soft laugh. “Be nice to stop calling you ‘cute’ or ‘saviour’ in my thoughts.” Jesse sighed when the only response to that was more cold glaring and a tightening of fists as strong arms folded over an equally strong chest. “Alright, alright, I’m doing it…”

Jesse knelt slowly to the ground, it’d be safer than trying to go from standing (there was not enough room to fall and unlike a few hours prior, Jesse didn’t trust that he wouldn’t be left to fall to the merciless floor at this point). He glanced at his stump of an arm, still throbbing away and only getting worse now that he didn’t have an attractive distraction growling in his face. He took a deep breath.

_Center yourself, my little Jessito. Find the calm in the storm._

Old words swirled around his head as he began to pull the serape up, over his head. He closed his eyes and felt the change begin. The feeling of a thick coat weighed down by sea water burying you underneath its weight, the fluid shifting of bones and shape beneath it as his coat embraced him. He was surprised it didn’t hurt this time – maybe that was a fluke last time?

Until it reached his arm at least. As the skin there enveloped his stump of an arm, it burned like a red-hot poker had been shoved through the skin, leaving his wailing through a mouth not fit for human words. _‘fuck shit fucking goddamn hurts like a son of a bitch fuck fuck make it stop fuck - ’_ the cursing continued until at last his bones finished reforming, his body heavy and low to the ground now, cool tiles pressed against the heavy blubber of his belly.

Jesse would never admit he was afraid to open his eyes. He kept them closed as the shift finished, and he wriggled his way out of the tangled fabric of the scrubs he’d been wearing. A loud gasp was what eventually made him drag his eyes open.

“H-how…” the breathlessly whispered word hardly curled in the air between them. Jesse barked once and started dragging himself across the floor towards Shimada. Only for the man to drop to his knees and place warm hands against Jesse’s bulk

His face was twisted into confusion, concern, a little fear but…there was a curiosity in there too. Jesse way it in the way those hands lingered as they traced the dappled pattern on his back. Yes, this is what he had wanted…would have been nice to have had it while he had hands to return the affection with, or a mouth to smile and say sweet things in exchange…but at least now the man’s cold eyes had faded to something much, much more welcoming.

“This…shouldn’t be possible.” Jesse huffed a laugh at the man, blinking his big dark eyes up at him. “I…” he was shaking now, kneeling only a foot or two away from Jesse. He wriggled across the floor to bump his nose against the man’s knee, making a few soft noises of concern. “N-no. I – I’m dreaming. I’m still asleep. This isn’t real. People do not shift forms like that.” Oh no…

The man continued to repeatedly mutter about impossibilities even as Jesse whined and nudged his knee. He wanted more of the affection already and if he had to be a seal to get it he would.

The shaking was getting worse; until Jesse was almost considering dropping his skin again to check in with the man.

The consideration quickly turned to a yelp of surprise when Shimada finally murmured “I can’t…you can’t be…” and listed sideways, eyes falling shut with a graceful flutter of lashes over his cheek.

Had he just…fainted?

Jesse sighed with a huff of air, mentally and physically preparing to shed again so soon and in such quick succession. He couldn't just leave the guy there after all...although the temptation to simply let him believe it was all a dream after such a disastrous attempt was closely becoming a new favourite idea...

This was going to be a long night…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, thank you thank you thank you so much to everyone who comments and says such nice things, I really do appreciate it. Any advice regarding descriptors, characterisation, pacing etc, I will do my best to take on board if you spot things I could be improving on!


	5. Waltzing the waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're taking this surprisingly well"  
> "I have seen more surprisingly things in my life"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again on 'this chapter gave me hell'. 
> 
> It's been a rough week and writing has been difficult. I still don't fully like this chapter but I rewrote it four times and finally went 'fuck it'.
> 
> I do feel like sharing that a lot of my knowledge and references for the facility described here are based on the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in Gweek, England. I visited there and they had a very powerful ethos about how their animals were treated and cared for. I'm actually excited to describe it and reference it in the coming chapters!

The human body is a wonderful and strange thing.

It can change to accommodate fluctuations in temperatures, create complex thought processes and links with ease, and go a long time without food, water or sleep.

But if you have the sudden realisation as your world goes dark that you have forgotten to eat all day, barely slept in the past three, and the last thing you drank was perhaps a glass of water after that evening surf class you taught, then, on top of that, suddenly subject yourself to the anxiety of realising a stranger has broken into the building you’re in charge of, and then watch as what looked like a red blanket melts into said man’s skin, watching him shift and his form blur and static like an old tape as it shifts into the very seal you rescued earlier that day…

Well, there’s only so much strain your body can take.

Hanzo groaned, his head swimming as he blinked his eyes open. The white lights of the medical room immediately had him closing them again.

“Whoa there! Take it easy, I ain’t too good at all this medical stuff.” Hanzo flinched at the voice, eyes snapping open again even despite the sudden headache. He made a noise somewhere between a growl and a groan as he sat up, shuffling away from the man now hunched over against the wall. That heavy red fabric hung loosely around the man’s shoulders, his scruffy hair and beard hiding most of his face.

“Sorry! A’right, not movin’… Didn’t mean to startle you - you uh, didn’t hit your head at all? Need any water?” the words were awkward and stilted as most of the man’s interactions had been so far.

Hanzo knew what he has seen shouldn’t have been possible. Humans couldn’t turn into animals. The logistics didn’t add up, and such feats would have been almost impossible to hide in a world where nothing was left unmonitored.

Then again – dragons weren’t supposed to be real either.

His head throbbed painfully with a dehydration and sleep deprivation headache, blooming behind his eyes with another groan, rubbing his temples gently and slowly rising to sit upright. He kept his head down, hoping to focus himself before facing the man in front of him. He needed to think logically here.

If you can’t deny what you have seen, your only option left is to accept it as truth and move on with the information.

But a man, wrapping himself in nothing but material and changing his very form? It was like a fairy tale – and why hadn’t he changed when Hanzo first found him on that beach? Or even before Hanzo had found him and – oh Gods _no._ He’d been cooing and baby-talking a grown man.

“Uh…here, I gotcha this” Hanzo flinched back again when a plastic cup full of water was pushed in front of him, the hand whipping backwards and the man – hadn’t he said his name was Jesse? How…American. – shuffled backwards out of Hanzo’s space. He curled himself into the corner, staring off to the side. It gave Hanzo a chance to study the man.

His hair was unkempt and hung in a wild mess around his face, sticking out at all angles like the stranger hadn’t seen a comb before. His facial hair was no better, a bird’s nest compared to Hanzo’s own well-kept goatee. The man remained huddled in his corner as Hanzo continued to stare. Shoulders hunched to make a big man seem smaller. It was difficult to tell much else about his body type. Only that if Hanzo had to guess from earlier he was grossly underfed, and the bags under his eyes spoke of a bone-deep exhaustion that he remembered all too well. His bathroom mirror had shown him the exact same sight more than a few times. Now he was looking more clearly, Hanzo was also able to notice how his left eye was a warm honeyed brown as it adamantly refused to make eye contact with him – but his right eye was pale. Washed out. Damaged? Injured? It almost looked like someone had spilt milk into the wide black of his iris. Blind, then? Skin tanned like the desert sun had scars littering the visible parts Hanzo could see. A cut bisected his brow, another by his lip. They lined up perfectly with –

No. Nope. Not considering that. He couldn’t be.

But…

Hanzo frowned, taking a sip of water quietly, noting how quickly the man’s eyes flickered to him at the movement alongside the sudden freezing of his chest and shoulders and slowing his actions down, telegraphing each one as he raised the cup and sipped slowly. But indeed…The man had claimed so adamantly he was the seal Hanzo had brought in. His dragons had not once stirred at the word of a lie. In fact, they had been silent the entire exchange. As far as his guardians were concerned, he was in no danger from this man. Watching him curled up as he was in the corner, Hanzo was starting to agree.

 _‘But if he is my Azarashi, then how does-?’_ Hanzo’s head ached as the thoughts kept spinning around his head. Trying to comprehend it was just making it so much worse. He groaned, raising a hand up to massage the ache again.

“Head still troublin’ ya?” a low voice curled through the air, prompting Hanzo to look up again.

“I will be fine.” He replied with, sipping a little more water just for something to do.

The man shifted awkwardly in his corner, finally turning back to look at Hanzo with an awkward smile on his face. It looked odd. Like the man hadn’t smiled in a long time and couldn’t quite remember the motion well enough to be completely natural. “I uh – I didn’t think it was gonna startle you so bad darlin’. Was only looking to-“

“It’s nothing.” Hanzo butted in, holding up a hand to stop his ramblings. “It had been a long day, it was stressful. I responded to the stress in a poor way.” Hanzo went on, eyes cast to the side. It wasn’t a total lie at least.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept more than a few uninterrupted hours or found the energy to cook something that didn’t come straight from a packet. Sometimes there were just more important things to do.

Not that he was going to tell a complete stranger that. Besides, he was fine. He’d been fine. He needed to be fine.

“O-oh. Okay. So…uh…” the man stumbled over his words again, bringing up his remaining hand to run over the red fabric wrapped around his shoulders again. “ _Fuck,_ look I ain’t good at this human shit - ain’t had to talk to another person like this in twenty years and I weren’t too great at it then.” The stranger spoke, his words gaining speed and emotion as he let them tumble past those dry lips, looking away from Hanzo again and drawing his knees up tighter in a defensive posture. “Jus’ tell me if y’ believe me or not? Shiftin’ ain’t all the fun when you’re tired and injured, y’know?” The suddenly rushed words caught Hanzo off-guard, watching the man run his fingers over the geometric design of his strange serape, tracing back and forth over the small section he could reach.

\-----

 

“I believe you.” Hanzo was startled by his own honesty. He hadn’t intended to respond at all. Jesse must have assumed the same, what with how fast his head jerked up in surprise.

“’Seeing is believing’. Isn’t that how the saying goes?” He tacked on, looking away from the wide, surprised eyes. Hanzo watched how far the shoulders fell as the man exhaled his tension.

“Great. That’s…that’s Good. Great.” The two of them fell into silence for a while, only broken by the soft shift of fabric and sips of water. The moonlight had continued to creep its way across the floor

“So uh – y’probably got questions n’shit, huh?” Hanzo looked over at the man again, who was not openly staring at him. He did have questions. So many questions. Every time he thought of one, several more sprung up from the tangent. But right now –

Right now he was tired, his head hurt, two baby otters were likely driving themselves crazy squeaking for him, he still needed to check the building to ensure the man truly hadn’t broken anything to enter, it was almost midnight and he had vowed to himself he would do a check on all main enclosures (Morrison or Dr Zeigler would murder him if anything happened to the animals – if he didn’t destroy himself first.) and there was still a bottle of medication next to the fish cooler.

Wait - The dosage. Angela would kill him personally if she returned in the morning and he hadn’t given it. He was being trusted with the animal’s care after all. He would not disappoint them. He couldn’t.

_‘but what do you do when the animal is no longer an animal…?’_

* * *

 

“Will the medication given to you as a seal kill you as a human?”

Hanzo flinched back at the sudden shock on the man’s face, ducking his head again and curling his hands in his lap until his nails dug into his palm. His mouth twisted into a grimace as the man laughed at him.

“Damn doll, y’don’t beat around the bush huh?” Hanzo hunched up a little more. Urgh, this is why he hated talking to people. He heard the man sigh and shift around again. “And in answer – I don’t rightly know. Ain’t never had t’ take anything like that before. Don’t see why it would if I’m still kickin’ now…” Hanzo raised his head at that, meeting those expressive eyes that sat above a sad smile quirked up at one side.

He cleared his throat, shifting to his feet. “Good. _Aza_ – you – You were due another dose of biotics for your arm and other injuries.” He spoke cooly as he reached for the bottle. “At least I do not need to crush it into the fish this time.” He muttered, turning around only to see the man with his teeth bared, hunched up around his arm again.

“Now what?” Hanzo growled back. He didn’t have time for this. There was far too much to be done to deal with some giant man-child acting like- like-!

“You come near me with that shit I ain’t afraid to bite ya, and a pretty face ain’t gonna stop that.”

“What are you complaining about? You took it earlier.” Hanzo growled out in exasperation, crossing his hands over his chest. “You are being a child. Take your medicine.”

“No.” Hanzo felt his head throb as he grit his teeth.

“And why not.” He patiently ground out. The man opposite him was curling up tighter underneath the red serape fabric, his eyes narrowed at Hanzo angrily.

“I don’t know what that shit is, I don’t want to take it. It smells nasty and it ain’t coming near me.”

It -it what? Hanzo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Your arm needs it to heal.” He tried to patiently explain. It was strange, how quickly the man’s demeanour had changed. He’d been so calm and peaceful only a few moments ago – right until Hanzo had picked up the pill bottle. “You had no problem when it was in your food!” He snapped out when he was met with more low growling noises.

“I didn’t even know it was drugged!” Jesse snapped back, showing his teeth. “You wouldn’t even tell me your name I ain’t taking anything from you!” The two of them were locked in a stalemate as Hanzo sneered back down at him. Genji had once said his glare could scare the stripes from a tiger. But it wasn’t doing anything in the face of the ridiculous man opposite him.

How hard is it just to take some medicine? Hanzo sighed angrily, his fingers tightening around the pill bottle. Dr Zeigler had given him strict instructions. The seal needed the antibiotics and the strong painkillers to give him time to recover. Hanzo slowly counted to ten.

“Jesse McCree. If you are indeed the seal I rescued, you need this medicine so you can recover. We can do this the easy way, or I can make you take them.” He tried to speak calmly, but the annoyance in his voice was clear. His head hurt, he was tired, and he wanted to check on the Pups more and more every moment. He didn’t want to be stuck here with some ridiculous creature that sounded like a caricature of a person and was growling at him as if he’d somehow done something wrong.

“Yeah, ain’t happenin’ unless you can tell me exactly what that shit is and what it’ll do t’me Darlin’. I ain’t risking that shit again.” Was the snapped reply. Hanzo felt his patience fraying. He was so caught up in his own personal argument, he almost missed the words muttered bitterly by the man curled up on the floor.

_“Y’ were much nicer when I was wearin’ my skin…”_

Oh. _Oh…_ Hanzo felt something very akin to shame creep up his neck at those words. Urgh. Humans were far too complex. Shame was like a bucket of cold water over the heat of his irritation, and he took a step back. _‘He’s not just a human…’_ Hanzo aggressively reminded himself. Running a hand through his still damp hair, Hanzo looked down at the man again.

His posture was hunched, sure. He was curled up and still glaring at the wall just past Hanzo like a child. But if Hanzo stopped looking at it as someone purposefully trying to make his life difficult…

A weak, injured animal who didn’t want to trust help being given. A frightened animal that saw only something else that could and possibly would hurt them. And right now, looming over him and trying to avoid snapping any more Hanzo wouldn’t have been surprised if he looked exactly like that. He may not know how to interact with humans very well... But he knew how to handle injured animals. He knew how to handle a creature that didn’t want to trust.

Swallowing down his embarrassment, he slowly knelt back down on the floor opposite Jesse. He forced his shoulders to relax, taking a few deep breaths.

The dragons ceased their low thunderous rumble from the back of his mind as he let go of his annoyance and anger. When he felt ready, Hanzo opened his eyes again slowly and looked over at Jesse. The man wrapped in the red Serape was staring at him oddly, eyebrows furrowed and head cocked to the side in confusion. Hanzo could begin to see the relation to the seal form. Forcing down the urge just to throw the medicine at him and leave, Hanzo looked at those brown eyes. Remembered how sad and expressive they had been on the beach. How much that arm must be hurting…

“You – will you take the medicine, please? I could get hot food, a blanket, somewhere comfortable for you to sleep…” he resisted the need to shift awkwardly where he knelt, resting his hands as calmly as he could fake in his lap, the tiny medicine container lax in his grip. Urgh, this was so embarrassing. He sounded like an idiot. He was used to talking softly and sweetly to real animals, not to a human who could judge him or who-

Who was blinking wide eyes at him and uncurling from the defensive position to face him slowly.

Hanzo bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself saying something stupid and breaking the tentative air that had settled over the both of them.

“Uh…” Jesse made a soft noise of confusion. “Why the sudden change a’ mood?”

“Do you want it or not?”

Jesse frowned again, but looked down at the medicine. There was silence for a while before he looked back up at Hanzo again.

“I don’t want t’ be drugged up anymore.” there was clear hesitance in his voice. Animal fear, not human uncertainty. From what Hanzo was starting to guess, those injures on his seal hadn’t been an accident.

“This is nothing more than a cocktail of painkillers and antibiotics. All it will do it make you drowsy, and help you heal. Why don’t I roll it over to you, and then we can talk further?” The words felt awkward and stilted still. Hanzo slowly rolled the bottle over to Jesse, the little plastic jar rattling and clattering over the linoleum floor. It bumped up against Jesse’s knee, who stared at it dubiously still. Again, more terse silence fell over the pair.

Hanzo cracked first. Clearing his throat, he rose to his feet. “I – I have to check on the otters. Take the medicine” he murmured, no malice or irritation left as he hastily left the room.

 

* * *

 

 

Finally alone once more, the sleep deprivation left a deep-rooted ache in his bones. Hanzo sighed heavily as he rubbed at his temples.

“A shapeshifer…? No, it was in his…a skinwalker?” He muttered to himself as he dragged his feet down the hallway. This was…not good. How was he supposed to explain to Angela that the seal they brought in wasn’t a seal – and without sounding insane, at that? Genji would make that face at him again if he said anything. _‘What is he…?’_

When Hanzo had awoken to the sounds of angry squeaking and chitters to see Kawa and Umi attacking the man curled on the floor, he had been ready to assume the worst. He would protect Genji’s new life here at all costs if necessary after all. But no…the man had been frightened, half-dressed in only surgical scrubs he recognised as Angela’s spares and the awful blanket around his shoulders, stained and torn in areas.

Then, of course, the man said his name. A name an American he had never met had no right to speak, let alone know.

But still, walking into that room, seeing Azarashi had gone, fearing the worst, it had taken a toll. Hanzo’s head hurt in a dull throb from where he’d passed out – he would have to hope no one checked back the footage tomorrow morning – and he knew he should have eaten more than that protein bar after the class earlier.

His otters’ room was silent when Hanzo first re-entered, and there was a brief kick of fear that they had somehow escaped that had Hanzo pick his pace up until he could peer over their container.

Two long brown tangled wrapped around each other and snuffled closer to each other as he watched them. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least one thing was going right tonight.

Glancing around the room, He spied the kettle and briefly debated coffee. Probably not a good idea but he was already awake. With a strange man – seal – being?? This was exhausting…

‘So much for a simple night’, he thought to himself, half collapsing back onto the folding bed with his head hung low. Maybe he could try to get a little more sleep…

“Uh, Shimada? – whoa whoa okay don’t panic yourself” Hanzo’s head shot up at the sudden voice. He hadn’t even heard Jesse’s footsteps coming down the corridor – either he was more tired than he thought or this man was silent when he moved.

 “I didn’t wanna be alone…?” the man’s hands fussed through the fabric of his serape a little more, leaning his weight back as if preparing to flee. “Could really go for some food if you got anything?” An awkward smile as the man shifted his weight where he stood.

“Ah, yes, if you will sit there I will see what we have.”

Fleeing the room again, Hanzo pulled the door on behind him, stopping at the row of glass windows lining the wall and staring up at the moon above him. What on Earth was he doing? He should be kicking the man out, or at least calling someone else. But then they’d think he couldn’t handle himself…or this Jesse might get arrested and Hanzo couldn’t stand the idea of leaving an animal to hurt. Except he wasn’t an animal. So what was the correct course of action? His dragons rumbled their displeasure in the back of his mind. He was talking himself in circles again.

All he’d wanted was a simple, peaceful night with the sweet seal he’d saved. How was he supposed to deal with this?

Hanzo stumbled down the corridor, his vision blurring out again a little. He caught himself on the staff room door and blinked a few times to clear it.

The tiny fridge in the staff room housed a variety of foods, usually all labelled by the person they belonged to. Hanzo could recognise Angela’s messy handwriting and the curling letters of Lucio’s name. At the bottom, he spied a green-lidded Tupperware pot with no name on it. Not that it took a genius to guess who the fish, rice and vegetables inside belonged to.

If Genji was going to leave his food behind with no name, it was his loss.

Now to discover if they had fixed the microwave in here yet…

 

* * *

 

 

A half-stale cereal bar for himself and a quickly microwaved Tupperware container later and Hanzo found himself shuffling back into the small room, closing the door behind him. It shuts with a soft ‘click’. Jesse is sitting on the folding bed, serape wrapped tight and held tighter as if afraid to let it go for even a moment. He’s sitting at the very far end, tucked up in one corner and glaring at the holding pen to his left. His mouth is turned down in a sneer, eyes narrowed as he glares at the white tiled walls separating the pen from the rest of the room.

“They cannot see you glaring while they are sleeping.” Hanzo murmured, slowly settling the Tupperware down with a fork next to Jesse before crossing over to the pen to stare down at his Otters.

“Fucking monsters is what they are.”

Hanzo hummed low in response. He heard Jesse take in a hiss of air when Hanzo lowered his hand into the pen, brushing his fingertips over the fluffy brown fur. Thankfully, he didn’t say anything, and Hanzo soon heard the sound of a fork scraping over Tupperware.

Not that they lasted long as Jesse started muttering curses and insults soon after.

“Is something-?” Hanzo realised his mistake as he turned around. The man was trying to keep the box on his lap and using his remaining hand to scoop up food. Except that every action of the fork through the rice, fish and vegetables was pushing the box everywhere and almost knocking it off his lap entirely. Hanzo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Of course, my apologies.” How do you just forget a man is missing an arm?

“Here, allow me to – ”

“No no, it’s fine. I can do this.” Hanzo drew his hand back from where he had begun to move, intending to offer to support the box while he ate. But after a little wrestling and some more cursing, the box was placed between Jesse’s thighs and he grinned proudly to himself as he shovelled food into his face. Hanzo laughed softly at the sight before turning back to his otters. Let the man have his privacy. If he attempted anything, Hanzo could disarm him before he could stand.

More silence, punctuated only by the sounds of a fork over plastic, Jesse chewing softly, and the snuffling wriggles of Kawa and Umi as they shifted over one another.

“…How is your arm feeling?” Hanzo eventually asked, frowning as he noticed a speck of red on Kawa’s muzzle. Was he injured already…?

“Pain ain’t so bad anymore,” Jesse replied gruffly in between mouthfuls of food. “Still aches something fierce – yer little demon creatures probably didn’t help that…” Hanzo drew his hand back from Kawa’s mouth, frowning at the smear of blood. “Though the little demons were gonna rip it right open again. As if the first time wasn’t bad enough.” Hanzo surreptitiously wiped away the smear of blood from his thumb, making sure Jesse couldn’t see. Well, at least he knew Genji hadn't bee exaggerating. 

“Yes, well, They were likely startled and reacted to what they thought was a threat.” He cleared his throat. Jesse huffed, fork scratching harder on the Tupperware as he likely stabbed a piece of fish harder than necessary.

“Otters are little demons anyway, don’t care what they were reactin’ ta.” There was a long, slow sigh from behind him and Hanzo finally turned around again. “Say, darling, how’s about you come sit here with me? You’re swaying on your feet there, doll and there’s plenty a’ room for two over here.”

Perhaps it was the late hour that carried Hanzo’s feet to the other far side of the bed and sat him down, turning to face Jesse as he settled his now empty pot aside on the floor. Hanzo rested his jaw on his palm, blinking a few times to try and wake himself up.

“You certainly seem happier now you have been fed.” Hanzo commented. It made Jesse laugh, Hanzo felt the corner of his lip quirk up in response to the low sound that sounded just close enough to the undertones of a seal bark to pull at his heartstrings.

“Yeah. Guess so. Yer takin’ this pretty well considerin’ earlier – how’s your head?” Hanzo raised a hand and brushed his fingertips over the throbbing bruise on the side of his temple.

“Nothing to worry over. I have…seen more surprising things. I was simply not expecting it.” Hanzo awkwardly explained, running his fingertips over his shaved hair and sighing, clenching the fist of his left hand as he tried not to consider what exactly he had seen. “Tell me then, what are you, Jesse McCree?”

The man’s lips quirked into a hesitant smile. “Ain’t ever heard of a Selkie before?” he asked, “We’re seal-people. Get these fancy skins, we can shift forms…you really ain’t heard of us? Thought everyone 'round here knew the old stories.” The smile became sad, dropping a little as Hanzo shook his head slowly. “Right. Fair enough, can’t expect everyone to know the old stories I guess. Well, to cut a long story down, this beautiful piece of fabric-” He tugged on the serape wrapped around his shoulders, staring at it proudly. The material was worn, ripped a little in places and looked well-used. Or just well-loved. “-is my way of connectin’ to the ocean. Durin’ the day we don’t get no choice. It’s seal or nothin’, but under the moonlight, she lets us on the land. We ain’t suppos'd to tell humans about us …but y’saved me, beautiful.”

Those warm brown eyes flicked up to meet Hanzo’s. The colour cut through by the black of his lashes, wrinkles and crows feet decorating the skin around his eyes as he smiled at Hanzo. “Been a long time since someone did that. Been even longer since I walked around on two feet. Wanted ta say thanks. I’d’ve been dead in that divot if you hadn’t found me.”

Hanzo shuffled anxiously where he sat, turning his face away and glaring at the hands in his lap.

“Well, you have said your thanks and yet here you remain.” He couldn’t see Jesse’s face, but the guilt that trickled down his spine told him his tone had been far too harsh.

“Yeah…shifting ain’t easy if it ain’t been done in a while. Wanted t’ hang around a little. Would still be nice t’ know where I am, or what’s gonna happen to me now...or what yer name is…?”

Hanzo sighed. Giving his name out to this stranger made him nervous. He still didn’t know the man, and he would be doing a lot of research on these so-called ‘selkies’ before he was fully ready to believe him (He’d never heard of such a creature, not in all his years of travel and certainly not locally). But still, his dragons remained silent. If they saw no threat in the man…

“You are in the Overwatch Seal and Marine Sanctuary” He murmured, closing his eyes and resting his head back against the wall behind him. “Tomorrow, if you had remained a seal, Angela will continue to treat you and assist in healing up the more superficial injuries as well as your arm. Depending on how long the recovery process takes, you would eventually be put into the Permanent resident pool with the rest of the bachelor colony. Your weight and water skills would be monitored until eventually they saw fit to either release you or keep you if you cannot hunt for yourself. However, with this development-”

“Hold it, partner. I ain’t tellin’ or showin’ anyone else about this. It ain’t some circus trick, I shouldn’t even be showin’ you!” Hanzo opened one eye and glared to the left at Jesse when he was interrupted. He was doing that hunched thing again, trying to drag his serape closer around himself.

“What you choose to do is up to you. From tomorrow you’ll be under her care anyway. The seals are not my area.”

“So, wait, what? I won’t see you again?” Another sigh and Hanzo closed his eyes again, pretending it wasn’t to hide from the kicked puppy look now on the man’s face.

“I volunteer here. It is very rare I stay overnight. You may see me in the day - The otters will be my project.”

“Oh…right.”

Hanzo sighed, rolling his neck and fighting back a yawn. He was so tired now…

“Relax, Jesse. You are in good hands here.” He murmured, his eyelids growing heavier with every passing moment, shoulders growing slack.

“And…my name is Hanzo.”

He wondered just as drifted off whether he had been loud enough for Jesse to hear. The softly whispered, almost reverential repetition of his name answered that for him. It had been such a long day. He was so damn tired.

Genji was going to have a field day if he was opening tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand usual rules apply that I will beta read my shit when it's not a million degrees and 2 am. I'm really so excited and so happy that people are enjoying this. Comments are a huge boost to my ego, motivation and writing since it can give me an indicator of what you guys want to see or where I need to improve. Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to read through this mess, and I just hope I can improve as time goes on. Oh yeah, and a couple of new tags have been added in case you didn't notice...


	6. Diving the deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your patience with this...my health took a bit of a nosedive and I hit the most annoying writer's block for about a week straight. I really don't like this chapter, hopefully I can improve with the next chapter. I'm excited to write more of the outside of the facility and what every character's job is. If I'm lucky It won't take me three weeks or so to get through...

Jesse glanced at the sleeping figure out of the corner of his eye, only turning his head when he was sure they were truly out like a light. His face softened int a smile as he took in the sleeping man. “Hanzo…” he repeated the name softly, murmuring it to himself. Bracing his hand on the bed, Jesse leaned in a little closer again, enjoying being able to stare without the man getting all fidgety and squirrelly on him. It had been surprising enough earlier seeing his entire demeanour shift like that. But at least he was being nice again now. ‘ _But how long for’s the question…?’_

He tilted his head, squinting and blinking and trying to make his eyes focus on the man’s face once again. Jesse didn’t remember a lot of the people from before he’d joined Gabe’s colony, but he was certain none had ever looked like this man. He hadn’t seen anyone up close like this since before Gabe had left anyway. He shuffled closer. There were dark bags underneath the man’s eyes. Jesse wondered if he was struggling to sleep as well recently. Was he lonely? No colony or family to curl up with under the warm sunlight, or hunt alongside underneath the ocean? It tugged at Jesse’s heart a little to think that such a kind man didn’t have anyone to help care for him.

At least _he’d_ had Gabe and ‘Livi. For a while.

Drowsiness pulled at Jesse’s consciousness like the waves against the shore, ebbing and flowing in soft currents that left him feeling floaty and weightless. A yawn stretched his jaw open wide, aching in the hinge as he blinked a few times, his hand scratching up through the rough, uneven edges of his beard. He hadn’t had the beard twenty years ago. The texture felt nice. It felt good on his face and scratched against his fingers. Hanzo had nice facial hair too. All trimmed and neat and well-cared for. Maybe Hanzo would show him how to trim himself all neat as well.

A hint of colour hidden under the loose sleeves of the hooded jacket Hanzo was wearing caught Jesse’s attention. A tattoo? He hadn’t noticed one earlier. He was slow and feather-light with his touch as he moved the sleeve up Hanzo’s arm, pausing every time his breathing even hitched the tiniest amount until it was halfway up his forearm and Jesse could see the design. The dragon’s growling maw stared back at him. Scales and thunderclouds and lightning coiling up Hanzo’s arm. _‘Like the sea storms…’_ Jesse thought to himself, brushing his fingers so lightly he couldn’t even feel the soft skin of Hanzo’s arm as he traced over the scales meticulously. If only the ocean had creatures like these. They’d be beautiful. Just like Hanzo.

Another yawn. Jesse looked around the room, pulling the heavy material around his shoulders. The room was a comfortable regulated temperature, and the added warmth from the serape only added to the comfy, drowsy feeling settling deep into his bones. His arm had stopped hurting. In fact, everything had stopped hurting by now. He could sense the moonlight tracking her way across the sky. It was an odd feeling, like having a permanent clock tick, tick, ticking away in the back of your head until the first light of the sun would round the horizon. It was playing hell on Jesse’s nerves. What if he fell asleep and slept through the dawn? What if the ocean really had abandoned him? What if after he’d slept, Hanzo just cast him out into the streets in this strange world Jesse hadn’t had to walk in for so long…?

But resting his head down, just for a moment, was such a tempting idea. He caught himself listing towards Hanzo’s sleeping form and dragged his tired muscles back upright. The bed wasn’t comfortable, but right now Jesse couldn’t picture himself moving to anywhere else.

He didn’t remember shifting his position, but suddenly between one blink and the next, his head was resting against a wonderfully warm thigh, staring up at the dim ceiling and the sleeping face above him. Hanzo didn’t even move as Jesse twisted onto his side, cradling his arm in close and drawing his legs up into a tight little ball, nuzzling his cheek against the source of heat beneath him. He closed his eyes, dragging the serape over his body, tucking it underneath his feet and around his body as best he could. Warm, so warm. Warm and safe and comfortable and _colony._ If Jesse closed his eyes he could almost imagine he was back with the colony, napping with his head on Gabe or ‘Livi’s legs while the tide lapped playfully against the shore, moonlight casting silver shadows over the surface. He sighed peacefully, pressing his face into the crease of Hanzo’s hip where thigh and pelvis met, seeking more of that warmth. He froze when the leg underneath him tensed, listening to the soft grumbling sounds and keeping himself still as Hanzo shuffled and rearranged himself.

When all fell still and silent once more Jesse sighed, closing his eyes and humming a faint melody from memories half-formed as he let himself drift off, the lazy pulse under Hanzo’s skin reminding him of the rush of water around his form. The push and pull of the tidal currents in the shallow waters. Only one thought tugged at his rapidly spilling consciousness… _‘When’s the last time a human had me feelin’ so chilled out?’_

 

_“Jesse…”_

_“Jesse…wake up…”_

_“My child…awaken…the tide is calling.”_

Fingers brushed against Jesse’s brow, coaxing him into the waking world. He blinked drowsiness away, vaguely noting that his right eye was still almost blind as he stared out across the room. A black shadow blocked his vision, hooded and silent as a spectre as they leaned over him, brushing back his hair.

_“Come now child, into your skin. I did not wash you ashore for you to lose yourself on your first night.”_ the soft voice coaxed him, tugging on the thick material covering him. He shivered as cool air swept over his bare shoulders and chest. _“Quickly, the sun comes fast.”_ Jesse yawned, blindly groping for the material as he tried to follow the nice voice’s words. Sunlight. Sunlight bad. Need his skin…

His eyes fell closed again and he gave a comfortable sigh when the fabric passed over his head, the warm weight and shifting of his form causing almost no pain this time. A fluid motion like the ebb of the waves, pulling away from his human form and pushing forth his selkie skin. Legs drew up, limbs became fins, he snorted out a huff of air through his muzzle before laying it down on the warm thigh beneath his jaw again. The dark figure chuckled, and fingers brushed like a breeze over his head.

_“I washed you ashore for a purpose, dear little pup. But sleep on now, my child. You are in good hands here.”_

Jesse grumbled low in his chest, wriggling his speckled form on the tiny bed until he could flop a little more over the warm legs, burying his nose against a muscular abdomen. Everything about the man smelled so sweet and good now he could truly scent the air again. The bandages around his arm had loosened with the shifting, but he tucked it close instead of wriggling them further down. Anxiety pulled at his heart. He wasn’t ready for that just yet. Following the voice of the kind dark figure, Jesse huffed a breath of air against the body beneath him, then closed his eyes once more.

 

* * *

 

 

**_SNAP_ **

The sudden noise startled Jesse awake with a loud bark, whipping his head around the room and growling low in threat at the sight of a stranger standing in the room. The man’s bright green hair was a shocking contrast to the pale room, and his grin behind the flash of the camera was nothing short of mischievous.

Apparently, Jesse’s growling had woken up his comfortable pillow. He paused when he heard groaning above him, twisting his head around to watch Hanzo stretching his arms above his head, groaning and rubbing at his eyes.

“I didn’t think you liked seals _this_ much Hanzo – Angela’s going to be so pissed if she catches you!” the stranger in the room teased, snapping another picture. “Hana’s never going to believe this!”

“Urgh, ah, Genji - what…?” Hanzo stirred slowly, grimacing as he tilted his head to the left and right, and Jesse made a small noise of sympathy for the loud cracks his neck made as he did so. When Hanzo finally opened his tired eyes, they blinked sleepily around the room before looking down at Jesse. The seal couldn’t help it…he nudged his nose back into Hanzo’s belly, blinking his own huge dark eyes up at him.

Another camera snap.

“Genji – what are you doing?” Hanzo finally noticed the picture-taking fiend standing in the room.

“Sending pictures to Hana. Smile brother!”

“Wh-?” Eyes wide in surprise suddenly looked down at Jesse, sprawled across Hanzo’s lap and soaking up the warmth there. _Uh…_

“Genji!” Hanzo growled, trying to stand up and almost sending Jesse and himself sprawling to the floor. Jesse barked again, almost falling off to the floor if an arm hadn’t wrapped over him to hold him in place, a loud ‘ _thunk’_ announcing Hanzo’s head making contact with the wall as he fell back into the bed. From the multiple camera snaps, the sight was being well documented.

“Better get him back to Angela’s room before she arrives, she won’t be happy you moved her patient! Meet me by the tide pools when you’re finished – and bring your kids!”

“Genji delete those photos or-” Hanzo didn’t even have time to finish before the door was slamming shut behind the green haired stranger. Jesse slowly looked back up towards Hanzo, making a throaty noise of concern as he watched Hanzo rubbing the back of his head with a wince.

“I’m alright, Jesse.” A little ball of joy swirled in Jesse’s belly at the sound of his name. Feeling brave, Jesse looked at Hanzo’s hand, the lax fingers resting on Hanzo’s knee. Wriggled forward. Nudged them with his nose.

Hanzo huffed out a soft sound, but Jesse was soon rewarded with those long, callused fingers brushing over his head. “So. Last night. The shifting... That was real?” Jesse blinked up at Hanzo, nodding twice before snuggling back down into his lap. He heard Hanzo sigh deeply. “This complicates things. How are we supposed to keep this hidden from the others?” Jesse snorted out a huff of air at that, turning his head away from Hanzo.  Why’d they have t’ tell anyone? _Abuela_ always told him selkies kept their secrets.

“Enough talk for now. Up, if Angela sees you out of your pen she’ll skin me a-” Jesse barked out a laugh at the turn of phrase, turning to look up at the man, tilting his head so his good eye could see the little furrow between Hanzo’s brows and the way his mouth pulled down into a frown. “I apologise, was that insensitive?”

Snorting out another huff, Jesse shuffled off Hanzo’s lap _– noooo. Warm, smells like home_ – despite his damned instincts demanding he just keeps lying there. While Hanzo stood up with a groan, stretching out his legs and arms above his head, Jesse stuck his head over the edge of the bed. It wasn’t too far from the floor, ‘ _But how in the Hell do I get down?’_

“Ah.” Jesse flicked his gaze back up to Hanzo. The man looked troubled as he stared from Jesse to the floor. “We did not consider this…wait here a moment.”

Jesse was left to watch as Hanzo left the room on silent feet, resting his jaw back on the uncomfortable bed with a whine. He didn’t like feeling helpless like this. Wasn’t used to relying on someone else so strongly just to move around. He looked over the edge, down at the floor again. Could always roll off…but what if he hit his injured flipper and tore it open again? If he slid off on his belly, then – he didn’t know if he was co-ordinated enough to avoid smashing his face into the floor. Not with one eye out of action, his depth perception was fucked over something fierce.

He raised his head when he heard the door open again, the soft ocean scent he was already growing to crave heralding Hanzo’s arrival before he even stepped through the door. There was a strange piece of metal tucked under his arm. “Here, this will help. We use them for releasing animals from vehicles, sometimes.” Hanzo murmured, coming to kneel at the side of the bed and setting the metal at an angle. Two hooks in the corners of one end hooked around the metal frame of the bed, creating a steel but not impossible to manoeuvre ramp down to the ground.

_‘Now wasn’t that just the sweetest thing…’_ Jesse couldn’t resist snuffling his face into Hanzo’s shoulder, nuzzling his whiskers over the column of the man’s throat in thanks, and grumbling out a low sound of amusement at the indignant spluttering noise Hanzo made as a result.

“Jesse! Down, that tickles!” Hanzo’s hand came up to push him away and Jesse reluctantly pulled back, blinking his big dark eyes up at Hanzo until the annoyed expression melted into something softer. “Don’t think you can bat your eyes at me and get away with anything. I have a brother, I am immune to those tricks. Now, can you move in this form? Does your wound give you too much pain?” Jesse shook his head at the questions. Whatever medication Hanzo had made him take was keeping the worst of the pain back. The ache was still there, but it was manageable. He could do this.

It was unsteady and certainly wasn’t winning awards for grace, but slowly Jesse began to move and slip his body down the ramp under Hanzo’s watchful eye. When he made it to the floor, he slapped his tail flipper against the ground and barked in joy. _‘Y’see darling? Told ya I could do it!’_

“Shhh, hush before you wake Kawa and Umi” Hanzo scolded him, walking at Jesse’s side and slowing his pace to match Jesse’s own inelegant shuffling across the floor. When the door was nudged open, the two made their way down the corridors silently until they were back in the room with the metal table. Jesse recoiled at the sight, he couldn’t help it. Hanzo paused as he noticed, frowning down at Jesse and scanning the room.

“What happened to you…” Jesse heard him murmur. ‘ _Don’t rightly remember all of it doll, but whatever it was weren’t good. Wish I could tell ya properly.’_ Jesse thought to himself, only able to make a soft whining vocalisation in answer and nudge against Hanzo’s ankle lightly. It took a few moments, then Jesse began to shuffle forward again. This wasn’t the same place. He wasn’t going to be hurt here. Hanzo had assured him of that and somehow, for some reason, Jesse truly wanted to believe that.

Hanzo looked at the holding pen Jesse had been in. Thigh-high tiling with a plastic partition at the top to add extra security. He didn’t relish the thought of being stuck in there again all day. When he made a few barks to indicate as such, Hanzo sighed and looked down at him.

“I don’t like it either, but you are still healing and need the rest. Dr Zeigler, the woman from yesterday, will oversee your medical recovery – if you heal quickly, you will be released sooner.” That thought made Jesse perk up. Released? Back to the ocean, back to the colony? He slapped the floor with his tail in excitement, ducking his head in a rough approximation of a nod and nudging his nose into the soft fabric of Hanzo’s trousers. His heart swelled a little when he was rewarded with a soft laugh and a gentle smile from Hanzo. _‘He’s cuter when he smiles…’_

Hanzo leaned over the plastic partition, and there was the click of a latch being unhooked before one of the two shorter walls swung open. There was still a slight wall, maybe half a foot high, just enough to keep a small pool of water inside the pen. At least Jesse knew he could make it over that. “Dr Zeigler will be by in an hour. Try to behave for her, alright? If I have time, perhaps I will try and see you before I go to work.” Jesse dragged himself into the pen, splashing in the shallow seawater pool and twisting around to blink up at Hanzo again. Stretching his head up as best he can, the grey seal whined and ducked his head until Hanzo brought his hand over and brushed over his head and jaw again.

Jesse closed his eyes, huffing happily and nudging into Hanzo’s hand in thanks for the simple affection. He wished he could have more of it, but he was starting to get the feeling Hanzo wasn’t a super touchy-feely kinda person. A shame, since Jesse could really have gone for someone just holding him right now with how bad he felt, but at least this wasn’t permanent. Hanzo had promised. He was going to get better and get home. When those hands left his head, Jesse huffed out a complaint that soon turned into slapping the water eagerly when Hanzo passed down a few fish. He had to remember his teeth as he took them from the gentle grin. He wouldn’t want to hurt him. The tiny bones crunched between his teeth, swallowing scales and meat down easily in a body that was built for it. If he was a cat, he might have been purring with how good it felt to have food around again. And food he didn’t have to hunt for? Even better.

“I will see you later, Jesse…” Opening his eyes to watch Hanzo walk away, Jesse found himself whining once more after the door fell closed. He was alone again.

He didn’t like how common that was becoming recently.

Tucking his nose underneath his remaining flipper, he tried not to let the solitude get to him. His flipper was throbbing again.

He hoped he wouldn’t be alone for long.

 

* * *

 

 

Jesse dozed off in the shallow water until the sound of the door swinging open again called his attention. He flinched at the sound of heels on the tiled floor, more swirling memories of black boots and heels sharp as stiletto daggers filling his head before he could shake them away. These heels were harried and hummingbird quick, not the slow, deliberate steps from before. When a blonde head poked over the top of the partition, Jesse barked in greeting.

“Good morning to you as well, B43” The woman chuckled down at Jesse when he cocked his head in confusion. “I know, I don’t think it suits you either. if you end up staying, perhaps we can give you something more fitting, hm?” She disappeared from his sight for a moment, and Jesse ignored how his hackles raised at the sound of rustling and shifting. The latch on the door clicked open. “Now, let’s see how you’re recovering.”

He snorted and growled as she stepped into the enclosure, shuffling himself back away from the long legs no longer clad in heels but instead in thick rubber boots tucked into plastic overalls. She didn’t have any needles or knives. Her hands were covered in gloves and had short nails. Her smile was kind and hid her teeth. She knelt in the shallow water instead of lording over him. Her eyes were kind. No threat. No danger. He shook his head at the gentle shushing sounds she made. Just because he didn’t feel in danger didn’t mean he wasn’t. A plastic gloved hand reached out towards him. “Shush, shhh… I’m no Hanzo, but I’m not going to hurt you.”

They weren’t as nice as Hanzo’s, the plastic gloves dragging against his skin and making him feel itchy and uncomfortable, but her touch was gentle and non-threatening across his muzzle. She smelled of chemicals and sterile, clinical coldness, but underneath that was the coffee and ocean scent he had caught the day before. He wanted to get better, and if she was going to make that happen he needed to behave.

Jesse soon lost track of how many times he was poked, prodded, checked over and moved around. The blonde woman checked his eyes – at least the bright light only irritated one of them – and made a low noise of discontent. Murmuring out long medical words Jesse had no hope of understanding. He reared back when she tried to check his teeth, the temptation to bite down nagging in the back of his mind. It was soon smothered Hanzo’s voice in his mind, asking him to behave for her. ‘ _Let’s see how well **he’d** behave being pushed around like a ragdoll’ _ He grumbled to himself. Eventually relenting and allowing her to check his teeth, counting them and pulling down his lip to check his gums.

Clinical hands covered in gloves patted their way uncomfortably down his body with a professional sterility. Jesse tried to hold still. He was bruised and sore and couldn’t stop the flashes of painful memories that came with the impersonal touches.

_Cold hands with sharp talons raking across his skin. Carving and cutting and mad laughter and why why why what did he do wrong?_

“Easy there, poor thing. Easy, shh.” Jesse startled as he realised he’d ben whining and growling in distress. Ducking his head and hiding under his complete fin, he whined once more. This was too much. He hurt and felt exhausted and he didn’t like this place. He felt helpless.

_He said we’re safe here._

_Needles and knives…_

_For fuck’s sake, we’re safe. We’re safe._

Splashing water alerted him to the woman leaving the pen, removing the plastic coverings and the heavy boots and scribbling notes on a board as she went. “Damage to the right eye…no visible reactions…bone bruising and heavy contusions, and that fin wound…” She was frowning as she looked back at Jesse for only a few seconds, her bright, kind eyes focused in only on his heavily bandaged fin. A few more notes and she looked back with a smile. “I do not suppose you will behave for me as you did for Mr Shimada?”

Jesse felt a touch of guilt when his teeth accidentally nipped her. Just a touch. She had yelped rather loudly after all.

Hey, it was an accident.

 

* * *

 

Jesse was left alone for the rest of the day, mostly. There was food at regular intervals and even though the thought that it could be drugged made him wary, he trusted Hanzo. If Hanzo said he was safe here, he wanted to believe that.  

He drifted in and out of sleep the rest of the afternoon. The waterproof bandages on his fin must have been changed at some point because they were wrapped tighter and looked cleaner. Every time he woke up, there was more fish piled in the corner that he eagerly chomped down on. It was never enough to make him feel full but at least the gnawing hunger was finally silent. If he had Gabe with him, he might even have been content to exist in the fuzzy little half-state where he just had to eat and sleep. Or even Livi, except if Olivia was here she’d have eaten all the fish and probably found a way out of here by now.

It was close to late afternoon when Jesse was awoken to voices he recognised.

“-ill concerned about that eye. It doesn’t look like any sort of infection, and the biotics aren’t picking up anything. It doesn’t change or alter in the slightest.”

“Could just be the thing’s blind, Doc. Maybe he got on the bad side of something bigger, huh?”

“Perhaps…that’s another interesting thing. Many of the injuries – they are precise. Targeted. He is injured and likely would have been left incapacitated until he bled out if he hadn’t been found, but none of the wounds alone were fatal from their infliction. It’s odd…”

“What could it mean, Doctor Zeigler?” _Hanzo…Hanzo. Home scent. Hanzo…_ His rough voice sounded carefully neutral as he spoke to the doctor. Jesse couldn’t recognise the third voice.

There was a long pause, followed by a heavy sigh. “As deeply as it pains me to admit it, it’s very possible there is an individual out there who purposefully harmed this animal. It is not impossible to consider other seals along our coast may be at risk as well. There’s too much precision. Many of these cuts bear distinct marks of being made by a scalpel or other small blade.”

_Knives, knives, talons, knives…_

A loud hiss from the voice he didn’t recognise. “Damn, Doc. You sure?” A pause. “Well, we’re going to need to let Mr Morrison and the coast team know. Man, how does someone have it in them to hurt an animal this badly? It’s just cruel.”

“Humans are the cruellest creatures on this planet.” Jesse tilted his head at those words. Hanzo sounded so…resigned. “There is nothing to be done now except to protect and get him back into the water.” _Yes, water, ocean, protected, home, safe, ocean, safe, home, safe…_

He didn’t mean to, but Jesse slapped his tail against the holding pen in eager joy at those words. It drew the attention of the three people in the room. The one he hadn’t recognised stuck his head over first, and Jesse growled and moved away. _Stranger._

“Hey there buddy. Good to see you up and kicking!” the boy pushed back the dreadlocks falling over his shoulder, emerald green and gold beads clinking as he did so. His smile was wide and genuine and when he rested his arms over the partition Jesse didn’t feel nervous. The kid was just that, a kid. “You feeling in a good mood today?” He asked, dipping a hand down to Jesse’s height. An open invitation but not making him feel trapped. Jesse could appreciate that.

He smelled like freshly turned earth, a little bit sterile like the blonde doctor, and a strange electrical scent he’d always associated with Livi and those damned electronic devices she was always stealing from humans. Jesse sniffed a little closer at the memory.

“We got a name for him yet? That fin’s going to take time to heal, I don’t wanna call him B43 for months” _Months? It might take months?_ How was he going to find his way home after months stuck here? How was he supposed to keep his secret that long? The thought made Jesse whine and rest back down on the floor of his enclosure. The new man frowned and cooed gently with a soft ‘I’m sorry buddy’.

“It likely won’t take months -” there was the sound of a rolling chair and tapping on a keyboard, and the stranger above him glanced back over his shoulder at something out of sight.  “– It’s actually quite extraordinary, when Zenyatta and I were changing the bandages earlier there was already substantial new growth of tissue and scarring around the stitches. It’s best not to name them until we know if we need to keep hi-”

“His name is Jesse.” Hanzo’s voice cut in, the sharp face suddenly appearing next to the stranger still leaning over his partition. He wasn’t smiling, instead looking stoic and uncomfortable. “Mind your fingers, Lucio. He is wary of strangers.” Lucio turned and gave a genuine smile down at Jesse.

“He’s alright, I won’t go pushing him. Looks like this fighter’s seen enough anyway.” Jesse snorted through his muzzle. _‘Kid, you don’t know the half of it…’_ Jesse looked up at Hanzo, his face was stern and tense again, even in the face of the kid’s bright smile as he faced Hanzo. “So, Jesse huh? What inspired that?”

 A sigh from out of sight, “Is no one going to understand that we get attached to creatures we name?”

“You named Pharaoh when we rescued him” There was spluttering and stuttering from somewhere out of sight.

“He was here for three months, it made sense” Hanzo scoffed out a gruff laugh that broke the stoic mask he’d fixed so firmly in place.

“It wasn’t Angela who named him Pharaoh, Lucio. A certain Miss Amari-”

“Enough!” Jesse barked out a laugh at the flustered voice from the woman he couldn’t see, the sound getting lost under the joyful laugh from Lucio. It was the soft, quiet chuckle from Hanzo that caught Jesse’s attention so vividly again though. He looked back just in time to see Hanzo’s lips quirked up into a smile, hidden behind his fingers, a hint of teeth behind the parted lips. It softened his whole face.

Jesse wanted to hear it again.

He wriggled on the tiles, slapping the water until he caught their attention again, Lucio leaning back down with a grin to offer his hand again, but it was Hanzo that Jesse stared at. Even as the man awkwardly looked away and shuffled out of sight. Jesse grunted in annoyance at pouted, ignoring Lucio’s hand in favour of settling back onto the tiles again. Lucio chuckled and pushed off the wall, vanishing out of sight.

“Well, I have to get going back to the rock pools, we have a school coming in this afternoon for a talk. You got everything you need Angie?”

 “Yes, thank you again, Lucio. Now, Mr Shimada, your otters will be waking up soon, shouldn’t you get going as well?” Jesse sighed again. Looks like he was going to be alone for a little longer. He couldn’t feel the pull of the tide or the moonlight yet. Dusk was _hours_ away.

“Ah. Yes. Dr Zeigler, I wanted you to grant permission for me to stay again tonight – for the otters’ benefit.” Hm? He was gonna stay? Jesse pushed himself up on his fin, stretching himself until he could see over the partition. Hanzo stood tall and stiff next to Angela, the doctor looking up at him in confusion from her computer chair, hands resting on her crossed knees.

“Is there a problem with them? Are they not sleeping through the night? There is no reason for you to go out of your way, it is important you sleep as well.” She asked, and Jesse could see how she frowned. Hanzo cleared his throat and drew his shoulders back. The tank top only showed off the muscles in his arms and shoulders. Jesse tilted his head to get a better look with his good eye. Damn, he’d cut through the water like a shark if Jesse ever saw him in the ocean…

“There is no trouble, I had wanted to offer you the night to yourself.” Dr Zeigler narrowed her eyes, pursing her lips a little.

“Hanzo, is everything alright?” The question caught Hanzo off guard, Jesse watched how he reared back, glancing towards Jesse’s pen from the corner of his eyes. Jesse tilted his head and blinked back at him.

“Yes, Dr Zeigler. I thought you…might enjoy the night off. I have two classes this afternoon. I will relieve you afterwards if you wish?” There was silence for a moment. “Unless I performed inadequately last-”

Dr Zeigler suddenly smiled, waving a hand to cut him off. “Oh, no no no. You were wonderful last night, it is kind of you to offer again. I would be happy to let you take over again.” Even if she didn’t seem to notice, Jesse saw how Hanzo’s shoulders fell in relief at those words. “I just don’t want you to think you need to take on everything there alone. No one expects you to do everything alone Mr Shimada.” Hanzo only hummed in response, looking away again.

An awkward silence fell over the two for a while, until Angelia leaned forward towards Hanzo, reaching out a hand empathetically. “Hanzo…I know you have turned them down before, but maybe you shoulder consider Jack’s offer? Or at least Genji’s? You could do wonderful things if you-”

“Whilst I appreciate the sentiment it is unnecessary, I do not need it. Nor their offers. Good afternoon Dr Zeigler. I will return at eight tonight.” Jesse whined as Hanzo fled the room, the sound catching Angela’s attention as she smiled over at him. With a sigh, she sunk back into her chair, closing her eyes and resting them on the headrest behind her. The wheels squeaked as she rolled it back from the desk, rolling her head to the side and looking at Jesse with tired eyes. _‘Y look like hell, missy. What’s got ya so worried?’_ He cocked his head back at her, curious. She huffed out a soft, breathy laugh, staring back at the ceiling.

“That man has no idea how much we all worry about him.” Jesse heard her murmur, before rising to her feet with a sigh and picking up the clipboard that Jesse hadn’t noticed abandoned on the counter, heels click-click-clicking across the floor towards him. “Well, at least we have a name for you. Hanzo called you ‘Jesse’.” He barked in response, nodding his head in the strange ducking motion. She smiled, gently reaching out a hand towards him, then seeming to think better of and withdraw it. “It suits you, strangely. Alright then, Jesse, let’s check you over and change that water, then you can get some more rest. I’m just sorry you’ll be stuck with the grumpy brother tonight” she laughed gently, slipping her heels off. Jesse shuffled back from the door, rolling onto one side and splashing in the shallow water. He didn’t mind in the least that Hanzo was going to be with him again tonight.

It looked like they were going to have a lot to talk about. The pull of the moonlight tugged in his blood. For the first time ever, Jesse was excited for the moment he’d be able to shed his skin. He was excited to see Hanzo face to face properly and have a chance to speak to him again.

He ate the fish without complaint, and when the drugs made his arm feel numb and his head feel floaty, he didn’t fight the feeling, sinking down into sleep with the sweet memory of that smell of home that laced Hanzo’s skin. Saltwater and sea breeze and the crackly charge of energy right before lightning struck. He had so much he wanted to ask about the man who had saved him. If he only had a short while before he would be free to return to the ocean, he wanted to learn what he had missed of humanity.

Who knows, maybe his _Abuela_ wasn’t completely right after all.


	7. Stars are shining bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some almost drowning and Hanzo overthinking everything and making himself miserable as a result.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Urgh why do I hate everything I write recently...
> 
> The usual system applies, I'll proofread tomorrow after work because at least by posting it I have to commit to the fact that people can see it and actually make myself correct my own shit. I also have my first ever smut piece in the works so if you want to see an awkward asexual lesbian write naga smut keep a half eye out.

Kawa’s little paws pulled on his shirt as Hanzo cradled the little creature close, wrinkling his nose when the otter decided to climb up to his shoulder with the tail batting against his nose and tickling as he went. Loud squeaking and long whiskers tickled around his ears as Hanzo cupped another hand around Umi’s body, the other otter wriggling into the crook of his arms and huffing out a few breaths into his elbow as he flopped along Hanzo’s forearm. He huffed out a soft laugh of his own at the two, bringing his free hand up to gently scratch around Kawa’s jaw. “Getting comfortable, hm?” He cooed gently, lips parting in a smile at the feeling of sharp little teeth nipping gently at his ear. The soft-furred otter around his shoulders wriggled around a little more before settling comfortably around his shoulders. Umi rolled over in his arms, staring up at him with cute, sleepy eyes.

“Yes, yes, I know you think the cute act will work on me.” He hummed at them, walking slowly so as not to knock Kawa too much as he walked. Both seemed content to simply use him as a comfortable resting post, and he was content to let them. If Genji hadn’t messaged him, reminding Hanzo to come and meet him, he would have been content to stay curled up in their pen with them climbing over him all day. But alas, there was work to do. He yawned loudly, apologising when the action caused Kawa to be knocked from his perch and feeling the little claws scrabble to stay attached.

 It didn’t stop him chuckling at the irritating squeaking sounds and he tilted his head away from the teeth nipping his ear again in disgruntlement. “Sorry, I deserved that. But maybe if you didn’t insist on being so high we wouldn’t have this problem” he talked back with a soft smile. Another little scratch around the whiskers had Kawa huffing and settling down again at least. They moved through the medical facility mostly undisturbed, and when he passed Angela’s room Hanzo could see she was already kneeling in Jesse’s pen, checking the seal over. He was in the best hands with her. That didn’t stop it feeling odd, knowing the seal in there was no seal at all and watching him getting his teeth and eyes checked.

Last night had been…surprising. To say the least.  A selkie, hm… Hanzo had never heard of such a creature in all his travels. He frowned at the idea. He would need to research to know what exactly he was dealing with. At least Jesse didn’t seem malicious. Wary, certainly. Cautious and nervous, but understandably so. Hanzo frowned down at Umi in his arms. If he had suddenly been attacked by a pair of barely weaned otters he would likely have been cautious as well. He brushed his thumb rhythmically over Umi’s fur, listening to the soft purrs as he stepped out into the early morning sunlight. Kawa immediately got excited, little paws pressing into his shoulders as the baby tried to take in everything.

“Kawa, hush Kawa – you’re going to fall again.” Hanzo shrugged, trying to keep the wriggling mass stable until he finally sighed. “That’s it,” he muttered, tilting his body until, with a loud series of squeaks and a lot of scratch marks, Kawa slipped down his right arm and into his hand, holding an otter in each arm. Umi barely opened one lazy eye to look at his brother, snorting and curling back up again against Hanzo’s chest. “If I drop you, Dr Zeigler will do much worse than just squeak loudly at me.” Hanzo chided the little otter. When at last they both settled down in his arms again, Hanzo stepped out of the door and took a deep breath of the early morning air.

Setting the Sanctuary into a hillside made some architectural work a challenge. The medical building had three main entrances. The front one was easily accessible to the public and showed off the holding pens for animals soon to be transferred to the larger pools. It was set with a small amount of decking and a slight slope for access and was set in what was technically the second floor of the building. The second entrance was the staff entrance, set into the side of the facility, a small, nondescript door that opened onto a small concrete porch just to keep things level, then had stairs down to the grassy hill and the well-worn gravel paths that split to the rest of the sanctuary. The final one was the water entrance.

The river that ran alongside the sanctuary was wide and deep. At the back of the building was a personal docking area and access point for watercraft and other vehicles, in case of emergencies that couldn’t be brought by hand through the front entrances. It had saved many creatures lives and would likely save many more. Eventually, Jesse would be loaded onto one of the boats when they were ready to release him, and set free into the ocean once more, for Hanzo to never see or be troubled by again. That was good, he told himself. He didn’t need anything strange or distracting in his life. There was too much to pay attention to without adding strange shapeshifters into the mix.

He stroked over Kawa and Umi’s fur again until one of them squeaked when he rubbed the wrong way.

Shaking his way out of his thoughts, Hanzo looked around at the view from the main entrance. Looking up the green slope at the rest of the sanctuary he had grown to know over the years.

From the shock of pink hair he could just see patrolling the edge of the seal’s permanent resident pool, Zarys was already up and about. Even from a good fifty feet away Hanzo could hear how she called each seal, tossing fish to them as she named each one with a loud laugh. He may not speak to Zarya frequently, but he had seen her single-handedly carry an entire, fully grown harbour seal into the facility once. He respected her dedication to her job. As he began walking down the wooden slope and onto the grass beneath, he heard his name being called.

“Hanzo! Haaaanzooo!” He schooled the grimace on his face into one of polite neutrality at the sound of running footsteps. Of course she was in this morning. “Morning luv!” Lena grinned wide as she came to a neat stop in front of him. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on the bundles in his arms. “Aaaaw, you got these two terrors, huh? I told Ana we should have sent them to another facility, somewhere they’d stop trying to terrorise the other neighbours” she laughed, showing off how she was joking as she reached out a hand towards Umi. She didn’t even make it three inches away when Kawa made a series of high squeaks, snapping sharp little teeth at her fingers until she whipped her hand back. Umi shuffled and made a low growling-grumble in his arm.

“Yikes! Looks like they still haven’t calmed down yet, eh?” Lena frowned, cradling her hand to her chest and checking her fingers. Hanzo sighed, shushing the otters until the settled back into his arms, beady black eyes glaring at Lena.

“It would perhaps be wise to keep your hands to yourself, Miss Oxton,” Hanzo commented, tired already as he scratched around the whiskers on Kawa’s face. The lump in his arms wriggled further down as it rested. Lena pouted at the two creatures.

“Mean little things, aren’t they? Oh! How’s that seal you brought in? Angela looked pretty nervous when you first called in about it. I’ll admit, weren’t too sure he was gonna make the journey back here at first! He’s a fighter, that’s for sure!” Hanzo mostly zoned out as Lena talked at him. She was kind hearted, but Hanzo found her energy to be draining after long periods. She wasn’t special in that regard. Many people were to Hanzo. Genji was the social one…

Speaking of-

“Apologies, Miss Oxton, I must speak with my brother.” Hanzo said with a bow, holding Kawa and Umi in his arms carefully as he shifted past her, vaguely hearing the despondent ‘oh, okay then’ from her as he did so. He trained his eyes to the grassy ground beneath him, not wanting to see the disappointment in her face as he left.

He sighed, carrying the two otters further up the hill as they squeaked and chittered at one another. Up, up, up past the Otter house, past the seal pool, nodding once to Mei as she was opening the research facility and catching sight of Hana waving from afar as the young woman vanished into the Reception area. Huh, must have been a Sunday then…

He tried not to consider how little he’d been keeping track of days again recently.

Brushing his fingers over the soft brown otter fur, he finally made it up towards the rock pool habitat. A wooden fence enclosing three-quarters of the area, with a simple shelter that would keep the worst of the rainfall off to protect the habitats. The rockpools were huge, carved from the natural stones found on the beach and creating almost a perfect mimicry of the natural ones found on the beaches. Crabs, little shrimp, starfish, anemones, small fish and other little wonders lived in the pools. The rocks created a towering structure about six feet high, and the pools were separated into four sections, so they could avoid over-using one section and stressing the animals if there was a sensory session taking place. Sitting on the lip of one of the pools, Genji and Lucio sat comfortably side by side, with the former laughing over something as his fingers trailed into the water. Hanz remained quiet as he approached.

“-So these little guys will clean the dirt from around your nails if you hold your fingers still.”

“I can feel it! It tickles.”

“Haha, I bet it does! The kids are gonna have a blast, I just hope they don’t forget how important it is to keep rock pools safe and how special these tiny little ecosystems are in favour of just getting excited over touching a starfish.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way to get through to them – oh, Hanzo! Morning again! Taking the kids on a walk?” Genji finally looked up, spotting the elder as he glanced over Lucio’s shoulder. Lucio turned with a grin, waving him over.

“Hey, Hanzo! C’mon over, I was just showing Genji the new cleaner shrimp we got going. These little guys should help us keep the rock pools a lot tidier. And they’ll be great fun to talk about with the kids!” Hanzo relaxed by the wall, smiling wryly as he watched the two of them.

“Do not let me intrude - Genji wished to speak with me.” Lucio smiled again, hopping down from the rim of the pool and drying his hands off on his jeans.

“Hey, don’t let me stop you! Oh, and Hanzo, you should try getting those two into the otter pool later. I know they probably wouldn’t survive in the wild now, but it could still be good to see if we can integrate them with the rest of the group. Maybe they’ll learn a thing or two and we can release them some day!” Lucio suggested, reaching out a hand towards the otters.

“Wait, don’t-” Hanzo started, but was unable to finish his sentence before Umi leapt forward, teeth first, in an attempt to bite the offending digits. Hanzo flinched back, dragging the pair closer to him. Behind him, Genji hissed in a sharp breath and for a brief moment, Hanzo was nervous that the otters had managed to hurt him. Why couldn’t people just understand that they didn’t want to be touched? But Lucio, all sunshine and courage Lucio, just laughed and drew his hand back quickly.

“Alright, I get it, no petting your kids” He chuckled, waving a hand in farewell as he passed Hanzo by. “Take your time dudes! But don’t forget we got a school coming in this morning! Gonna need the pool back in an hour or so.”

Hanzo sighed in relief at the peace that settled over the area. Genji hadn’t even stood up from his perch, staring down into the water while the very tips of his fingers skimmed the surface. Even as they grumbled and hissed, Hanzo managed to settle the otters and took a few steps closer.

“Strange of you to be so quiet, should I be concerned?” He asked. Only half-joking. Genji hummed, a small smile on his face. That just made Hanzo even more nervous. This was…unlike Genji. To look so relaxed and yet be so quiet. He started running his anxious fingers over the belly of whichever otter was close by, not even bothering to check.

“I wanted to discuss something with you, brother…perhaps you should sit down. And keep your otters close by, Lucio will kill us both if they eat anything in these pools.”

 

* * *

 

Moving. Genji was _moving_. He had found a place and would be moving out at the end of the month.

He knew he shouldn’t be so worked up over this. It was natural. A normal progression of life. Finding somewhere to settle, to place your roots. He never thought Genji of all people would want to, but...

He was happy, here. He had friends, a good job, people and things he cared about. It was no surprise he would look at finding a place here.

So why did Hanzo feel so sick at the thought?

They had travelled together for so many years…he hadn’t even realised that this was the longest they’d ever stayed in one place since the night they snuck out of their childhood home for the last time. So many years of taking down assassins, hiding in old motels and fleeing halfway across the world…

What if the clan hadn’t ever given up? He wouldn’t be able to protect his brother if he didn’t see him. Genji would be in danger again – he should have fought harder against the idea, told him how ridiculous it was. But fighting was exactly how they had almost lost each other before…not that it mattered. He was losing his brother anyway no-

“-zo! Earth to Hanzo!”

“He alright there? Bloke’s been starin’ at that wall for fifteen minutes dead straight now! Oi, Shimada!”

Hanzo snapped out of the dark spiral of thoughts as something smacked down hard on his back, shaking off the fog and looking around the tiny staff room of the surf shack. Fareeha was leaning on the table opposite him, staring down with a frown and motherly concern that looked so familiar in her eyes. Behind him, the one responsible for the stinging in his shoulder blade leaned over with a manic grin.

“There ‘e is! Good to see ya back with us there mate! Starting to think ya swallowed a bit too much sea water out there today!” Hanzo shrugged off the hand still resting on his shoulder with a growl.

“I am fine. Tired, nothing more. When is the next class?” He asked, needing the distraction. Fareeha frowned deeper.

“You sure you’re even good to be here, Shimada? Angela told me you stayed on site last night – you need to be focused out there. Conditions are shaky today, we can’t have you risking students lives if you’re not focused.” Hanzo grit his teeth at those words. He was not a liability. He was not risking anyone. He could and would do this.

“I will be as cautious as I always am, I assure you.” He ground out. Fareeha frowned for a while longer, then sighed, throwing up her hands.

“Alright, if you say so. Be careful, Jamison will be scouting from shore today but we don’t need to risk anyone.”

“The lady’s right, mate. Got a few nasty-looking currents brewing in the waves. Nothing too dangerous, if ya keep everyone between the flags.” Jamie called over his shoulder from his spot by the window, staring out across the coast. Hanzo sighed, resting his eyes against the palm of his hand heavily. It was going to be a long, long afternoon.

He stared down at the tiny takeaway cup of disgusting weak coffee he had picked up on the way to work. He zoned out, drowning out Fareeha and Jamison as they chattered away, Jamison’s grating laugh occasionally cutting through his thoughts. But not stopping them entirely.

Genji was leaving. Moving away, continuing his life, finding a home…leaving Hanzo behind. He would be alone, left like an abandoned toy. How could Genji feel so secure here as to want to settle here? The clan were still out there. How was Genji going to keep safe without Hanzo to watch him?

_“We cannot run forever, Hanzo. It’s been long enough, don’t you think it’s time to stop? This place is good, it’s safe and we’ve already made a life for ourselves here” Genji had tried to explain to him, earnestly reaching out a hand towards Hanzo’s shoulder, only to fall short as he flinched back. Hanzo grit his teeth_ _against the words._

_“And what if something happens, hm? What if they should find us here? I know you have been taking photos for the website – if the clan find us they will hunt us once more. Could you leave everything behind if you had to?” Hanzo had snapped back, glaring down at the otters chittering in his arms, brushing fingers over the fur in a rhythmic motion._

_“Have you considered we could stand our ground? Fight for ourselves instead of for them for once? Hanzo, have you ever thought maybe we could have a home here?” Hanzo had scoffed a that. ‘Home’ was a fool’s dream. Home was for lesser people who didn’t flee all the time…Genji had sighed, leaning back against the rock looks and watching a hermit crab track over the stones, evading the waving movements of a nearby anemone as it went._

_“It doesn’t matter – I already found a place not far from here” Hanzo’s heart had frozen in his chest at those words. Genji didn’t even look up at him. “Lucio lives in the building, he helped me put down the deposit and sort the paperwork…I’m moving out at the end of the month. It’s not like I’ll have much to pack.” A sarcastic smile twisted over his brother’s face, but Hanzo hardly noticed. How had Genji arranged all this without him knowing? Or even suspecting at the very least._

_“You could always come with me. There are other apartments open as well. You could take Jack up on his offer, or we could look into that coll-”_

_“I will not, Genji. I cannot let myself get complacent and you should not either! How can you think we’re safe just because it’s been a year of peace?” Hanzo finally snapped, growling out the words. Once upon a time, he might have expected Genji to snap back, to yell and glare and fight him with harsh words. Somehow, seeing him smile so calmly was even worse._

_“Then you’ll have the boat all to yourself, brother. Free to keep fleeing wherever the tide takes you.”_

Hanzo snapped out of the sombre memory as his alarm dinged from his phone. The staff room was empty now, Fareeha and Jamison apparently having left him to his ruminations and thoughts. With a heavy sigh, he left his stone-cold coffee by the sink and picked up the store room keys from beside his bag. There were classes to teach and he refused to put people at risk because of his own distracted thoughts.

Fareeha narrowed her eyes at him as he passed but mercifully said nothing. Hanzo was grateful for that at least. The ocean currents were strong, the waves crashing high and clouds gathering low in the sky. There would be a storm soon. He hoped they wouldn’t have to cancel the evening class. He wasn’t prepared to go back home yet. Suiting up into his wetsuit, his thoughts drifted away from his brother, plucking at a different topic altogether.

Jesse McCree. A ‘selkie’, or so he had said. Hanzo had heard of many creatures in his time, but a selkie was not one of them. Localised mythology, perhaps. He frowned, pulling on the zip-tag until the skin-tight material was snug against his torso. Where had the man come from…how had he washed up here? If Dr Zeigler was correct, and those injuries were purposefully inflicted…

Hanzo remembered how he had been so afraid last night. He frowned, eyebrows furrowing as he pulled the surf shoes over his feet, strapping them up around his ankles. Were there others out there, other selkies like him?

The way he had shifted last night, the blurred, almost wavelike motion of human blending into seal had left Hanzo speechless. While Jesse seemed harmless, he was in essences inhuman. By all rights, Hanzo should be reporting him and leaving him for authorities or scientists to discover and experiment on. And yet…

And yet.

And yet the poor seal had stared at him with wide eyes and primal instincts, had clambered into his lap seeking comfort. The poor thing had already been covered in more cuts and scars than he could have counted. Even when Hanzo had seen him as a human, those arms and what little he’d seen of Jesse’s torso – skinny and bony as it was – bore the silvery tissue of scars

He remembered the man’s wide brown eyes staring up at him from last night, full of animal fear. How his arm had been covered in bandages, and how awful-looking the severed fin had appeared when he’d found him on this beach only yester (only yesterday…had it really been only yesterday?) His beard had been messy and unkempt, as if it had never seen a razor or scissors. Perhaps he hadn’t…had he always been a seal? There were too many questions, too much to think about.

Tonight. Tonight he would find his answers.

 

* * *

 

 

“ ** _AAAH!!!”_** Hanzo snapped his head around as he heard a scream from his board. Just in time as he watched one of the men from his class toppling from his board – outside of the flags. Straight into danger currents. The water was already dragging him back out with the waves, and the man was struggling to keep himself above the surface, gasping as he was pulled under once more. _Shit!_ He thought.

“Everyone! Ride the waves back into the shoreline, stay close to your boars and wait on the sand, do not enter the water without a guide! Someone alert the lifeguard team!” He snapped out at his other students, not even waiting to see if they followed the orders before twisting his board around, moving with the water to reach the man faster. He was getting pulled out further and further. If he went too far, then he’d be lost in the rocks.

_‘Damnit!’_ Hanzo growled, looking around for any sign of the man. Foolish of him to look away. How had he not noticed the man sneaking out past the flags? How had he not - 

There.

A fleeting glance of an arm vanishing beneath the surface again had Hanzo twisting on his board. The waves were beating against his board as he paddled through, arms and legs burning against the current as he pushed out, the winds whipping his hair back. The storm was riding in fast as well. His student had vanished again, lost underneath the water’s surface. Hanzo’s heart pounded in his chest. _Where, where…?_

Thunder rumbled across the clouded sky, at the same time as it rumbled through his skull. The soft nudge of ‘ _left’_ in his thoughts pushing him to look the other way. A dark shape underneath the water’s surface, begin dragged towards the rocks. No. He wouldn’t lose someone to his own mistakes.

He leapt from the board before he could think about what a bad idea it was, feeling the water rush around his head, muting out the world around him as he dived, seeking out the human-like shape sinking into the waves. His lungs and nose burned from the salt water, and it stung his eyes fiercely as he cut through the water, buffeted on all sides by the water until he finally closed his hand around the man’s arm, dragging him up, away from the murky water. Lungs burned from holding his breath, and he had to keep fighting as the water tried to throw him into the rocks, pushing back with arms and feet to avoid the rough facings.

It felt like an eternity before Hanzo broke the surface, the first splattering of rain beating down on the water’s surface as he gasped for deep breaths of air. He’d lost his board – hopefully Fareeha wouldn’t take too much out of his wages for a replacement – so dragged the unconscious surfer onto the rocks, pushing his body up out and away from the water. He braced his hands against the wall, intending to climb up after him and wait out the lifeguard team.

Until a strong wave crashed over his head, knocking his skull against the rocks and disorienting him, sending him slipping back under. Seawater filled his lungs and he thrashed in the water, trying to get the air he didn’t have to float back up. He refused to die here, not like this. The dragons roared through his body, lending him strength to keep kicking, but he couldn’t tell which way was up, there was nothing but murky, darkened water on all sides and everything hurt and he couldn’t breathe and Genji would never forgive him and he just had to keep kicking had to get up had to get air had to see Jesse had to had to had to-

Something grabbed him.

Something grabbed the back of his wetsuit, dragging him to the surface. Something cold and solid tucking under his arm, helping him float as he coughed and vomited up mouthful after mouthful of seawater. Something with leathery skin that beat through the water like it was a clear, calm summer’s day. Something that beached onto the rocks next to his half-drowned student with ease and grace. As Hanzo flopped onto the rough surface, finally tasting blood in his mouth from the cut to his temple and feeling the sting of salt across his scraped-up palms, taking a few long moments to breathe. When he found his breath and raised his head at long last, blinking salt from his eyes, he almost lost it again.

_A seal._

Smaller than Jesse, with all limbs intact and a much more slender head, this seal sat on the edge of the rocks with an expression that (if it had been on a human) Hanzo would have almost called sarcastic. Or perhaps mischievous. Its dappled coat had darker concentrated lines than Jesse’s did. Hanzo furrowed his eyebrows, slowly sitting up on the rocks, every limb in his body felt heavy and he felt a dull throbbing sensation in his ankle. But that meant nothing when the seal cocked its head at him, winked – _winked_ – one big dark eye, and slipped back into the waves below.

Well, that answered one of his questions…

“Ey! Hanzo!” Hanzo looked up, catching sight of a waving Jamison driving one of the lifeguard cruisers across the waves towards the pair of them. “Don’t worry mate, we’ll getcha back to shore in no time!” Hanzo looked down at his still unconscious student and felt guilt creep hot and thick into his throat. He should have been keeping a better watch. Should have seen the storm rolling in faster, should have noticed the idiot surfer creeping out past the flags. He’d been distracted, and that distraction had almost cost someone their life today. Fareeha was right…he wasn’t fit to be there. Wasn’t fit to be anywhere.

Jamison took over first aid for the surfer as soon as they were back on land. For the most part, it seemed he was fine, just swallowed a little sea water and maybe got a bad knock to his head. “don’t beat yourself up for it mate, the damned idiot was askin’ for it, creeping away from class to go screw around like it’s summer in Bondi.” Jamie whacked him on the back in what was presumably supposed to be a reassuring manner but only made Hanzo’s chest hurt more.

Fareeha wasn’t even mad at him when he got back to the shop, just frowned and sighed softly. Handed him a cup of tea and glanced up at the bandages at his temple. The cut there hadn’t been severe, but it was giving him one hell of a headache. “You going to be okay?” she asked him softly. He grunted, taking a sip of tea. Of course he’d be okay. Once he stopped being such a liability to everyone…no wonder Genji wanted to leave.

“Jamison said it’s a miracle you made it out of the waves. The ones by those rocks are particularly dangerous, and with a storm coming…” she trailed off, obviously trying to make small talk. Hanzo only grunted again. His thoughts drifted back to the seal. It had stared at him with such human intelligence in those eyes. The same intelligence he had seen yesterday in Jesse. But it was ridiculous to think he could…in two days…

“What do you know of Selkies?” He asked suddenly, capturing Fareeha’s attention as she raised a brow at him in surprise.

“Everyone around here knows the stories of the selkies. Mother used to tell me about them all the time when I was a child. Why do you ask?” Fareeha questioned, setting her cup of tea down on the counter and watching him with Ana’s piercing eyes.

Hanzo shrugged, glancing away from the expression. “I overheard someone discussing them at the sanctuary. I was curious.” That was believably vague. After a moment, Fareeha shrugged one shoulder.

“Mother’s the best one to ask. She knows all those stories better than I do.” Hanzo hummed in reply. Silence fell over the two of them, only the beating sounds of rainfall on the roof and the distant sounds of rolling waves lending background noise.

“Hanzo, what’s wrong with you today?” Fareeha eventually asked. He’d expected the question eventually, Fareeha was stubborn when curious and blunt as a rock to the skull.

“It’s nothing.”

“You’re a bad liar.”

“It’s nothing I can solve and therefore nothing I should burden you with.”

Fareeha huffed a laugh into her tea. “It doesn't make you a 'burden' to talk to someone about things that are worrying you. I may be your boss, Hanzo, but I’d like to think we’re friends as well. You can talk to me.”

“It truly is nothing, Miss Amari” Hanzo smirked as she instinctively replied with ‘don’t call me that’, both of them chuckling in the soft comfort of the tiny store. His head still hurt; his ankle was sprained, his hands were scuffed up, and Fareeha would likely force him to take tomorrow off, but with the sounds of the ocean in the background, and warm tea filling him up, Hanzo forced himself to stop drowning in his own emotions, and instead begun to think about what he would say tonight. Thoughts of the seal who had saved him filled his head again.

He had even more questions to ask Jesse now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really cannot tell you guys how much your support means to me and to fic writers in general. Even when I'm having mad days or I think 'I can't do this' I can reach the wonderful comments and words of encouragement you leave and it really does push me to keep going. I save every e-mail notification I get regarding comments or kudos, and it makes me smile all the time.
> 
> It's a very new thing for me, writing for an audience to read and receiving feedback on work, I hope I can continue to improve and grow as a writer as I get into the actual romance and action, and I hope you'll all continue to enjoy and support this little fic as I go. It really does make a writer's whole day better seeing people are enjoying the content they've created. You guys truly are wonderful, I hope you're all having an amazing day. I'm going to get some sleep now before I kill someone at work, I promise I will do my best to catch most mistakes tomorrow!


	8. The wind is on the rise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spending so long as an animal messes up your head a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been mentally sick for weeks, and physically unwell now as well...depression's a bitch as I'm sure you all know. Combine with executive dysfunction and I had to fight damn hard to write anything for this chapter. I hope I can get better in the future.

Thunder and lightning roared like great beasts through the skies outside. The glass windows rattled from the wind and hammering rain that beat against them. The familiar sounds soothed Jesse as he lay there in the pen, slowly splashing his tailfins in the shallow water to feel the movement of the waves against his sides. He couldn’t see very much of the window, but the little he could see showed swirling masses of dark grey. It was going to be a bad storm. At least he wouldn’t be out in it for once. The storms made the oceans dangerous, Gabe used to yell at Livi and himself when they’d challenge each other, seeing who could swim faster against the currents.

He sighed at the memories. _Gabe…the fuck happened to you..?_ the thoughts swirled through his head like the currents and tides. Hmph, maybe it was almost a good thing Gabe wasn’t around – the colony leader would have ripped Jesse from his skin just to properly slap him upside the head for the shit he’d managed to get himself into this time. Livi’d film it.

He whined at the thought of Livi. Please let her have done the sensible thing and stayed with the colony. He hoped more than anything else that she’d stayed with the colony. There were already too few of them left in the world – who was he kidding. She’d probably vanished the moment he did…

Jesse’s thoughts drifted in and out as he lay there, bored, stuck in the pen with no one to talk to. With nothing to distract him, who could blame him for the way he kept overthinking everything.

_Gabe’s dead because you didn’t find him_

_You should’ve protected the others like you were told_

_What if they’re all are dead now too?_

_What does it even matter anymore…_

_Maybe he should have just left all those years ago…_

_I hope Hanzo comes back soon…_

It was strange. Jesse could physically feel his thoughts calming down at the thought of the strange man who smelled of the ocean. It was like being in the caves, feeling the storm pass while the waters embraced you…He rolled onto his side, feeling his injured flipper flop uselessly against him, and huffed another sigh into the air.

Hanzo sure was handsome. He didn’t look or feel like anyone Jesse had ever met. From what he’d seen, the man sure loved his animals – even if those damned otters were a blasted nightmare. Jesse wished he could make the man smile more though, he looked like someone who didn’t smile enough. His thoughts drifted to what the blonde doctor had said earlier, ‘ _that man has no idea how much we worry about him…’_ and that did strike Jesse as odd. Sure, he hadn’t been human for a long time, but he could remember how humans often regularly sought out contact an made friends and bonds with one another. Hell even with the seals they liked the comfort and closeness of the colony.

So what made Hanzo a solitary creature? From the little Jesse had seen – the way he spoke, acted, the way he’d flinched away from every sort of physical contact or touch – the man was an enigma. He reminded Jesse of the broken, angry pup Gabe had found on the Mexican coast all those years ago, barely shifting and lost with no one to watch out for him. Gabe would know what to do with the man.

Actually…scratch that. Gabe would probably tell Hanzo to buck up and quit being so stubborn. Hell, one of the first things he’d told Jesse was _‘you wanna survive this life, you learn to play with others and make connections even when you don’t want to. Those connections may just save your life one day.’_

And hell, Gabe had been right, even if it wasn’t doing much for him now…

His thoughts and ramblings were cut off the by the faint sound of arguing, steadily growing louder. There was the sound of a door swinging open as the volume suddenly increased, then fell silent again. Someone sighed out of sight. A tired sound, like something very old settling into the seabed. Jesse made an inquisitive noise. _Hanzo?_

It wasn’t Hanzo. Instead, a time-weathered face leaned over his pen, silver hair slipping from the sky-blue fabric covering the woman’s head, falling like silk over her shoulder towards him, and eyes shining like the reflection of the moon on the water’s surface. She smiled at him with nothing but wisdom in the curve of her lips. An old soul shone behind her eyes, and it touched something primal inside Jesse. Something that had seen kelp forests and underwater mountain ranges and had swum with creatures more prehistoric than you could dare to dream, and still knew he would never know the things those eyes had gleaned. He found himself trapped by the smile, by the way she sighed and leaned her arms against the pen, reaching a hand down to brush under his jaw softly.

“You’re going to have to keep a close eye on him tonight, little one.” The woman murmured, and Jesse cocked his head in confusion. The way she spoke…why did it seem so damned familiar? “He is stubborn, but even a stubborn mountain must eventually shape itself to the ocean’s tides, hm?” she added with a chuckle. Jesse hardly registered the words. This woman…

The door swung open again and the woman closed her eyes, shaking her head and turning away from Jesse. He wondered for a moment if it was his fucked-up eye that made her look like she was glowing. He hadn’t even noticed the argument that had followed the open door until a deep voice made his head perk up.

“It is not going to be an issue, Angela. I have been checked already.”

“You have a concussion, Shimada! You should be resting, with someone watching over you! Not holed up here all night – what if you fall comatose? What will happen then?”

“I’m sure Genji will have something to laugh at when he arrives in the morning” Jesse barked at the sound of Hanzo’s voice, the low sound lost under the snappish voices and arguing. The woman with the blue scarf merely sighed, leaning against his pen and crossing her arms.

“This is not a laughing matter! Fareeha called and told me what happened, I cannot allow you to stay here alone after such an incident! There are things to be done tonight and I cannot in good faith leave someone who-”

“ _I do not need coddling_!” The room went silent. After a moment, Jesse heard Hanzo sigh. “I can still carry out my duties, Dr Zeigler. I was cleared by the paramedics. I already said I would.” Jesse whined, slapping his tail against the water, worry creeping in. Hanzo had gotten hurt? Was he alright? Jesse wished the man would just come over so he could see him.

He looked up to see the old woman chuckle. “Let him be, Angela. Hanzo is a grown man, capable of making his own choices.” She looked down at Jesse, and her eyes sparkled as she smiled. “He will not be alone. We can check on him in the morning.” That seemed to placate whatever argument was brewing between the two of them, as soft grumbles of consent echoed from somewhere else in the room.

“Very well, if you are going to insist on being stubborn. But I will be expecting regular text updates on your condition as well as the animals if you’re going to be here all night! And if you don’t go home in the morning or even think about coming in tomorrow I will personally have Mr Wilhelm carry you off the premises. I’ll even have Genji film it.”

Jesse may not know who the people she was talking about were, but the thought of someone carrying Hanzo around still made him snort, and the kind-eyed woman raised a hand to her mouth in a chuckle as well. He liked her. She was soothing and familiar. Maybe she could be Colony too, like Hanzo.

Wait - When did he start thinking of Hanzo as colony?

Fucking animal instinct…

It sure would be nice though…

While he’d been drifting in his own head, it seemed whatever argument they had been having was finally resolved, as the kind woman vanished from his sight and the blonde woman instead leaned over him, offering him another fish. Fuck this was a good life, food on hand all the time, great people, even if they were distant they were kind. He didn’t feel afraid here and wasn’t that a fucking novelty in itself.

Why was that…?

He huffed out as he chomped down on the fish, letting the voices above him blur together into white noise. It was strange, his head was still so clouded. He remembered…flashes. Bits and pieces scattered like driftwood in the ocean. It made him nervous, to feel like he was missing so much. Gabe would know…

He snapped out of it as another shape appeared above his little pen. _Hanzo…_ He barked, bits of fish dropping from his mouth as he looked up only to freeze in sudden concern. There was a bandage stuck to Hanzo’s temple, and now that he was closer Jesse could smell blood in the air. Blood and dirt and ozone all drowning under the overwhelming smell of _home._ He whined as he stared up at the man, slapping his tail fin again. _Shit darlin’ who put you through the ringer?_ He thought to himself, looking up at the ever-deepening dark circles sinking into Hanzo’s face, the scraped on his palms that had to be stinging, and the way his shoulders were so tense and yet so exhausted.

He whimpered, trying to stretch up, to see the man closer. Hanzo’s tired eyes softened and his mouth turned up into a smile. “Someone’s feeling better, getting plenty of rest, Jesse?” He asked. _Screw_ me _darling what the fuck happened you?_ Jesse thought with a snort and a huff.

Before he could do anything else to express his worry, Hanzo’s attention was pulled away by the sound of the blonde woman’s voice again. “Those bandages around his fin will need changing tonight. It truly is quite remarkable; the wound is healing incredibly well. I’m comfortable with him being stable enough to move into one of the larger sterile resting pods until he is up to weight to move to the rehabilitation pool as soon as tomorrow.”

Jesse saw how Hanzo’s mouth quirked up into a smile, even as he nodded stiffly. “Good to hear.” He replied, looking down at Jesse again. “I will have him moved tonight.” Moved? They were moving? To where? Would he still see Hanzo? He barked and groaned at that thought. He didn’t want to lose Hanzo. Everything was sterile and clinical and he hated it but Hanzo was home-scent and warm like the southern seas.

“Hanzo… you cannot move an entire Seal by yourself.” The kind woman sounded patient but amused, like a parent explaining a simple concept to a child. Hanzo frowned, and Jesse perked up as he saw those dark eyes flick sideways to look down at him.

“I will be fine, Dr Zeigler.”

“Mister Shimada that is an adult grey seal, it took four of us just to get him off the beach while he was sleeping and docile. You cannot possibly expect-”

“Oh hush, Angela dear. I am sure that whatever Hanzo here has planned, he will do nothing but what is the very best for the poor thing. Won’t you Hanzo?” The other woman, the elderly woman, suddenly chimed in.

“Of course.”

 “Then have some faith, Angela dear. Perhaps you and my dear Fareeha could use the evening off to walk the beach together?” The kind woman sounded so playful, and her laughter sounded like the waves against the coast as the blonde doctor suddenly sputtered and stumbled in her words.

Jesse cocked his head as his tail flippers brushed in the water gently. The rest of the conversations flying over his head as he lay heavy in the water. Only when a shadow fell over him did he look up, raising his head eagerly when he saw Hanzo looking down at him again. _‘Hey Darling!’_ he thought to himself, making a soft whining sound at the sight of the bandage around Hanzo’s head again. _‘shit doll what’d you do to yourself? You should be restin’ not workin’ yourself to death here!’_ he barked out, wishing Hanzo could understand him like this. Instead, the man just sighed with a tired smile, reaching a hand down to Jesse which he eagerly bumped his head up into.

“We’ll talk more tonight, Jesse” he heard Hanzo murmur softly. Jesse snorted in reply, slapping against the water eagerly. For once, he looked forward to sunset.

 

* * *

 

_The sound of water rushing over the rocks, the crashing of waves and the flecks of sea spray hitting his face made him whoop for joy, running over rocks and pebbles that scattered under his feet, his bandanna flapping behind him in the wind that tore at his hair and clothes. So much space, so much water, so much sky and blue and sand and everything._

_“Jessito! Mi perrito pequeño!” He whipped his head around, looking up at the little old lady kneeling on the well-worn chequered blanket, her brown eyes sparkling and her smile pulling her face wide as she waved him over. His boots skidded over the stones as he raced up towards._

_“Abuela! Look at the water! There’s so much of it – I bet it goes on forever!” The old woman laughed, tucking grey windswept hair back behind her ears._

_“Oh I know little one, the ocean is very beautiful isn’t it?”_

_“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Do you think it likes me? Like your stories?” He asked excitedly, kneeling on the blanket and staring out at the water in wide-eyed childish glee._

_“I’m sure she loves you very much, and I am glad we had the chance to see it together. It is good to be home once more.”_

_“It’s just like in your stories!” Jesse cheered, grabbing the woman’s arm and hugging it tight, his heart full of joy and excitement as he turned to look out at the water again. He couldn’t get over how big it was, just endless grey and white and blue stretching farther than the child could see. Waves and wind lashed at his face, playing with his clothes and pulling at him to come closer. Farther out into the ocean, something splashed. He gasped with delight._

_“Look! Look what’s that?” He pointed in excitement, standing up again and trying to look closer. With a groan, the old woman brought herself to her feet as well, resting a hand on his shoulder._

_“Hm…I believe they are seals - perhaps it is the selkies” She whispered to him conspiratorially, her eyes dancing and her smile so playful, laughing at how Jesse’s whole face lit up. “Come, pup, we should meet with them.” She took his hand, letting Jesse run ahead, pulling her behind as she ambled to the water’s edge. She cared not for how the water pulled at her clothes, soaking and weighing them down as she walked the coast beside him._

_More splashes, and suddenly six dark heads popped up from the water, their dog-like faces turning towards them. Jesse gasped for joy and raced into the water, waving wildly. “Hi, selkies! Hi! We’re not going to hurt you, I promise!”_

_A low chuckle behind him made him turn around, watching his abuela hobble into the water, watching it soak into the bottom of her dress as she stared out at the sea, one hand resting on the red fabric she had looped around her shoulder, a constant companion as she lay her fingers over her heart. “You needn’t yell so much my little Jessito, the water knows you mean them no harm, or she would not have allowed us to be this close. Hush, and watch them, watch how they move and play, how they hunt. They are family, and they protect one another, see them?”_

_Jesse couldn’t contain his excitement as he watched the seals diving and darting through the water, dark shapes moving like serpents through the waved. He tried to race forward, only to be held back by the hand on his shoulder, leading him back from the waves onto the dry stony shore. His trousers and boots were soaked – mama would skin him alive for that. He found he didn’t care, the cool wing bringing a chill with it that had him shivering on that grey, cloudy day._

_“My little pup, we mustn’t disturb them.”_

_“But- I want to -”_

_“I know.” She said, unwrapping the red fabric from her shoulders and wrapping the heavy material around Jesse’s shoulders. “To ward off the chill” she explained, before kneeling down in front of him, cupping her hands to Jesse’s face. Only now did he see the tears in her eyes. “My little love, the day may come when you need to flee, to protect yourself from the dangers age and carelessness brings with it. When that day comes, remember this place, remember these seals, and come home to them. The ocean knows you, now, and she will love and protect you when I must go.”_

_Jesse stared back in confusion. “I don’t understand Abuela, where will you be going?” She sighed and looked out towards the shaped in the water again. As Jesse turned his head as well, he noticed how all six of the dark shapes had raised their head above the water, watching them, bobbing with the motion of the waves._

_“You may not understand now, but one day you shall. I can only hope you find your way home – You are a very special soul, mi perrito pequeño. Someday, I hope you will see this for yourself.” With those words, she stood herself up again, moving back towards the cotton blanket and the cooler and boxes there. “Now then…” she continued, unlatching a case on the corner of the blanket, wrinkled fingers curling lovingly around the neck of an old fiddle, raising it to her jaw and running the bow across it so a clear note rang out across the beach._

_“Come, sing with your old abuela”_

The memories were clearer when Jesse woke up again, yawning in his little pen. Memories of kind eyes and sweet smiles and the very first time he felt cold, salty water and the warm, comforting weight of that heavy serape around his shoulders long before he knew what it truly was. And in the haze of the dream, just as the ache in his flipper dragged him back into the living world, he could have sworn he heard a soft voice murmuring words he hadn’t heard in so long.

_‘Mo ghrá…’_

 

* * *

 

The sun finally sank deep enough below the horizon. The pull of the moonlight under his skin began. That creeping, tugging urge he remembered from his first few years in the sea. Jesse was just grateful it wasn’t the stabbing pain of the other night. He wondered if it had anything do to with what his Abuela used to tell him – what _did_ she use to tell him?

He grumbled into the shallow water, slapping against it listlessly as he stared up at the edge of the pen. Where was Hanzo? Jesse wanted to check on him, find out what happened to him earlier. He’d practically reeked of the ocean, so strongly it almost made Jesse want to cry. He hoped the ocean hadn’t hurt him. The man didn’t deserve that.

Jesse found himself getting impatient as that urge to shift grew stronger and stronger, slapping his fin against the water and wriggling in the water until finally, _finally,_ he heard the door creak open.

“Jesse? You’re still – are you alright?” Jesse instantly began to push upwards with a happy bark at the face that appeared above him, wriggling in the water and trying to get pets. “Is something wrong, why aren’t you shifting?” Hanzo asked, concern furrowing his brow. Jesse paused his actions, cocking his head to the side. Huffing out a quick breath, he closed his eyes and began the process of shifting.

_Skin lifting away, bones and body shifting forms, legs growing outwards, head growing upwards. Soft, leathery seal skin wrapping around your shoulders until the dapple bleeds into red, into cotton, into old patterns and faint memories – “Watch my little Jessito, watch how it shapes itself with you, isn’t it so beautiful? You must keep this secret now. Always keep this secret.”_

Jesse gasped as he finally opened his eyes again, kneeling naked and shivering in the cold water, wrapped only in the thick red fabric of his serape. It took some time for him to raise his head, but eventually, he made himself do so, meeting the wide, beautiful eyes staring down at him. He tried not to be hurt by how Hanzo backed away as he stood up. He cleared his throat.

“Uh, hey there again darlin’.”

“It wasn’t a dream then” Jesse was caught off guard by the sudden sigh, watching as Hanzo rubbed a hand over his eyes, crossing arms over his chest. “I had almost wished it was.” Jesse frowned at the muttered words, tugging his skin down to cover himself.

“Sorry doll, I’m pretty damn real – now I don’t suppose you got anything I can wear around here? And I don’t know about you but I could really go for some more food. A change like that takes a lot outta ya” he said with a smile, moving his left hand to brace himself on the wall to climb out of the pen.

Only to remember at the last moment. He didn’t have one now.

“Argh! Shit, fucking _fuck_ -!” He cursed, gripping his arm. He’d misjudged himself without his second hand, and fallen forward over the wall, bashing the bandaged stump on the way over. The pain laced through his arm, through his shoulder, his jaw aching as he grits his teeth against it. _‘Stupid, no good, useless damned -’_

“Breathe, Jesse. Deep breaths, slowly now. The pain will pass.” Jesse heard. The words were firm, spoken with such surety. He opened eyes he’d screwed up in pain, finally seeing how Hanzo had rushed forward, feeling the hands on his shoulder holding him still. Hanzo was so close now, staring at him so attentively. The scruffy selkie focused on those eyes, watching him closely. The hands on his shoulder held strong, a comforting weight as he took deep breaths through the pain. Deep breaths that hitched a little as he saw Hanzo’s mouth quirk upwards into the softest smile he’d ever seen. The same smile he’s used when he found Jesse on that beach.

“There, feel it getting easier?” He heard Hanzo whisper. “Keep breathing, Jesse, you can keep holding onto me if you wish.” Jesse hadn’t even realised how he had fisted a handful of Hanzo’s loose hoodie until he’d said that, looking down at how his knuckles had turned white from holding so tightly. His hand cramped at the pressure and he whimpered pathetically. He hurt, he _hurt_ and he hated feeling so _useless_ like this. Hanzo’s hands squeezed reassuringly at his shoulder at the sound, grounding Jesse down and making a soft noise that drew Jesse’s attention back to Hanzo’s face and that soft smile.

“It’s alright. We’re going to get you fixed up, I promised you, didn’t I?” Jesse felt breathless as he was caught by those soft eyes, guiding him upright and being nothing but gentle. So sweet and trustworthy. “Do you feel like you can stand now?” Jesse nodded once, looking away and squashing down the urge to bury closer to the warmth radiating from Hanzo as he drew his hands back. “Perhaps, try the door next time” Jesse blushed as Hanzo reached for the latch, swinging open the gate between the two of them.

“I uh, I knew that,” Jesse muttered as he stepped through, cradling his arm close. He could smell something delicious in the air now he wasn’t in so much pain, and he took a deep breath as he tried to work out what it was. Deep and meaty, but also spicy and warm. Familiar as so many things seemed to be.

Hanzo passing him a bag drew his attention back. “I brought you clothes. There’s food on the side in the other bag” He said as Jesse took the plastic bag in one hand. There was a mess of fabric inside, and Jesse frowned at it all. “Get dressed, then meet me in the staff room – it’s at the end of the hall to the right. I need to feed Kawa and Umi” Jesse’s head shot back up as Hanzo turned to leave.

“Hey, wait!” Hanzo turned, staring at him in confusion.

“Is something wrong?”

“Your head…you’re hurt,” Jesse mumbled pathetically, looking at the thick white bandages again. He noticed how Hanzo’s hair raised in an abortive move towards them, before turning away again.

“It’s nothing. Get dressed, eat your food. There’s too much to be done tonight.” Jesse whined as the door closed behind Hanzo, not liking how cold he was behaving. He wanted the kind man back. The emotional change in his demeanour was giving Jesse whiplash. Still, he sighed, looking back into the bag again, then over at the one that had the delicious smell coming from it. It would have at least been nice to share the food with him.

 

* * *

 

_Burgers._

The noise Jesse made was close to indecent as he bit into the juicy meat, crispy onions, tomato, lettuce, spicy sauce. An explosion of taste across his tongue that almost made him want to cry. It was so good. Shit, he could see why Gabe and Livi liked the street vendors that parked near the beaches sometimes if this is what they were getting, how could he have forgotten how good human food tasted?

And the memories. Oh, he remembered getting these with other humans, eating them fast and complaining about his stomach, the way they would laugh and throw bits of it at one another – and why the fuck had they wasted any of this amazing food like that? As the man wrapped the red material a little tighter around his shoulders, he groaned as he stretched his mouth around another bite. It was a huge monster of a burger, but with every bite, he could feel his stomach getting heavy and full. So much fuller than even fish could make him. The thing was beginning to fall apart in his hands as he kept trying to wolf it down, torn between the animal desire to just eat and eat and gorge himself fully, and the want to savour the delicious food Hanzo had brought him.

That Hanzo had brought for him. His heart warmed at that, and not just from the sudden heartburn. Hanzo had brought him food, was providing and caring for him. Jesse smiled to himself at that thought, wishing he had a way to show how happy he was that Hanzo was looking after him. That he hadn’t been abandoned on that beach. Everyone here was doing so much…he knew, now that he could think about it clearly, that it was going to be a slow, slow road to full recovery. Ss long as he made it back to the sea, he didn’t care. There was still shit out there he needed to fix.

Jesse’s stomach groaned in protest as he finished forcing down the food, groaning as he rested a hand on his stomach, over the top of the vest Hanzo had given him in the bag. The clothes had Hanzo’s scent all over them, and it made Jesse feel secure to be wrapped up in them, even if they were a little tight in places. It was a warm, safe scent. Ocean, spices, sea air, salt on the breeze, something slightly fruity all with a hint of bittersweetness underneath.

Food, home scent, colony…it was all he’d ever wanted.

Speaking of colony…

Jesse heaved himself up on the one working hand, groaning at his full belly– it had been so long since he’d eaten so much after all – and stumbling down the hallway. Even without Hanzo’s directions, he would have easily been able to follow the soft squeaking sound, the hallway so quiet and dark without the moonlight. Rain continued to patter against the windows, the earlier storm still not giving up its hold on the skies. His heart sped up as the ocean scent grew stronger. Something held him back, an old voice that whispered through his thoughts to _be still, watch him, understand him_. So he listened, and paused outside the door, peering in through a crack into the well-lit room with his good eye, closing the useless one against the light.

Humming. That was what he heard first, soft humming of an old melody he couldn’t place. It took a moment for him to catch sight of Hanzo, watching him pace back and forth, his dark hair covering part of his face as he looked down at the little bundle in his arms. One of the little demon creatures. His lip curled in distrust at the sight of it. But as Hanzo turned in one of his pacing cycles, his attention was caught by the gentle smile that softened those harsh features, the brown fluffball curled in his arms squeaking and settling a little more into his hold. Jesse’s heart throbbed in time to the soft humming melody. It conjured melodies of moonlight and soft breezes, carried gently on an air sweetened with flowers and the charge of a coming storm…he wondered why.

The selkie perked up as the soft melody was cut off by a sigh. Hanzo had stopped his pacing. His smile had fallen away into something much more sombre. Something that Jesse didn’t like. He braced his hand on the door, intending to push it open.

 _‘Comfort him…’_ Whispered his animal instincts, desperate for family and comfort themselves.

 _‘Wait, impatient pup…’_ murmured something deeper, older, much more ingrained.

The otter in his lap sat up when Hanzo stopped petting it, and Jesse watched as Hanzo’s fingers danced through the fuzzy mess. “I don’t know what I’m doing, Umi…” Jesse heard him say. “Everything seems to be racing ahead of me, I feel like I just cannot keep up anymore.” Jesse watched as Hanzo half-sat, half-collapsed into a wide armchair, having to stop himself cooing at how cute he looked as he curled his feet up, resting his head back against it. “Genji is happy here…happy enough to want to settle. So why can’t I feel happy for him?” a hand rose to run through the man’s dark hair, while the otter took advantage of the new angle to climb up his chest.

“I thought for so long I knew what was best. That keeping on the move was the only option to keep us safe. I should be proud that he’s being so responsible, be proud of how far he’s come – yet all I feel is hollow. And if life wasn’t difficult enough, there’s a man who keeps transforming into a seal living in the other room and I cannot talk to anyone about it!” Jesse frowned at how much frustration leaked into his voice. Was Hanzo mad at him? He didn’t want Hanzo to be mad – he liked seeing the man smile and be soft. He didn’t want to piss him off.

“It’s not that I am afraid or concerned – how can I be, I have seen the might of dragons -” Wait, excuse me? Jesse made a note to mention that later. “I simply…cannot understand it. Fareeha speaks of ‘old stories’ as if everyone here knows them, and yet I have heard nothing of these stories. A selkie…how do you treat a seal who is not a seal? Where did he even come from? I feel-” There was another heavy sigh, followed by silence, as Jesse watched Hanzo return to petting the otter, dragging his head forward to smile down at it, all curled up in the armchair in the cosy-looking room. He looked so small in the big seat.

“Look at me, Umi. Once I commanded the attention of hundreds, now – I’m talking to an otter for company. Perhaps Genji was right, perhaps I am destined to always be alone, in the end…”

“Well, that’s soundin’ a little overdramatic now darling. The moon ain’t even that high yet, no need to go throwin’ a pity party for one when you got company.” Jesse gave a hopeful smile as he pushed the door open, taking a few steps into the cold room.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep feeling like I'm screwing this up. But I wanted to show a cute scene with Grandma McCree and maybe give hints for things that will happen in the future. A lot of Hanzo's anxieties and self-doubts are things I've been feeling myself a lot recently, and I sort of maybe and projecting a little...my poor budgie has heard a lot of my problems these past few weeks...
> 
> I hope I can get better with the next few chapters, I'm nervous about writing these two having a proper conversation.


	9. Whispering Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo and Ana have a talk, Jesse and Hanzo have a talk. There's a lot of talking. Not much is said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Taking little bits and pieces of the stories I was told as a child and weaving them together with some of the more well-known stories was a lot of fun. I enjoyed writing Hanzo and Jesse as well. Hopefully, I can only improve - my romantic experience is a little rusty, so I don't really know how to write the sort of romance I'm aiming for, but let's see how it goes!

 

“Shimada-san, come sit with me.” Hanzo looked up from the flyer the paramedic had given him earlier (he _refused_ to believe he had a concussion, he’d barely scraped his head! There hadn’t even been that much blood.) to glance at Madame Amari, perched elegantly on one of the mismatched chairs in the staff room with two steaming mugs on the speckled plastic table. She motioned to the chair opposite her.

“My apologise Madame Amari, I have -”

“I may not be as young as I was, but I don’t remember that being a question, Shimada-san.” She said with a smile. Hanzo frowned, bristling at the words as the elderly woman chuckled softly. “Come, sit with me. I believe you have something to ask, do you not?” She continued, pushing the mug of tea closer to the empty chair. Hanzo sighed, deciding this wasn’t a fight worth having and sliding into the empty chair. The tea was steaming and pleasantly fragrant as he held it to his face, sighing as the gentle heat helped to dull the ache in his head.

“Fareeha messaged you?”

“She didn’t need to. These old bones know what someone with a question looks like. Tell me what troubles you, Hanzo?” She said with a kind smile, sipping from her teacup. Hanzo sighed.

“I have been hearing much over the past few days of ‘old stories’, native to this place, to do with certain wildlife species. Fareeha mentioned you used to tell her the stories. That you may share them with me if asked.”

Ana lowered her cup, the kind smile turning knowing. “Ah, the folklore and legends, hm? This place has many of them. But I think I know which one you want to hear.” She looked out of the window, Hanzo followed her gaze to the sight of the grey storm clouds growing thicker. The beginnings of thunder rumbled in the distance.

“This coast once had a flourishing seal population. They would use these beaches for resting and congregating. And whenever the seals came, the Selkies followed.” Hanzo’s attention perked at the words.

“Selkies…yes, I have heard of them.”

Ana laughed, continuing to watch the rain on the window. “I am sure you have - The selkies were omens of fortune and peace, once upon a time. People loved them, even knowing they were shapechangers. Their skin was a gift given to them by the very sea itself.” The old woman begun, tucking a stray lock of hair back beneath her headscarf. Hanzo fell quiet, letting her stare in silence before she continued.

“Many of the old stories will only tell you of the more popular female selkie. Beautiful and free as the sea surf she came from, the most common tales tell of fishermen who found those skins left on the beach and of the selkie maid pleading for it back. Oh, how she would plead and cry, begging for her skin so she may return to her family – but the hearts of men are greedy things, and when faced with such beauty, the fisherman would be entranced, determined to possess it at all costs. Even if it meant the selkie’s freedom.” Hanzo frowned at that. Had Jesse ever been held captive for his skin? Is that how he had become so injured? It made his hair stand on end to think about. Being held a prisoner like that…the poor selkies.

Ana sounded so bitter as she recounted the tale, her brow furrowing and her eyes stormy. “These fishermen would keep their selkie brides trapped on land, where many would perish without their ocean to comfort them. They knew that she awaited their return, back to the waves, but without their skin, she would kill them whether she meant to or not. Many lived bitterly trapped on the land, bearing children and tending homes they never wanted until the lucky few found their skins and became free. Escaping into the night with their skin, leaving behind their jailers, their children, everything, to flee into the ocean. Often, they would never leave the waves again, fusing so deeply to their skins they forgot all humanity.” Ana sighed, placing her teacup down with a gentle ‘tink’ on the ugly plastic-coated table top.

“They would leave their children?”

“Many felt they had to. To be where they belonged once more – some tales tell of the children finding the cloak and giving it to the selkie mother. Others tell of the selkie maid finding her coat and escaping, only to later have her furious husband hunt her down in rage. Many of the tales of selkies maids…do not end well.” The storm outside rumbled closer, a flash of lightning in the distance over the ocean breaking across the sky. Ana turned back to him, something Hanzo couldn’t quite place swirling behind her eyes.

He broke the silence with a tentative question. “You say many stories are of the female selkies – what of the males?” He asked, trying not to think of the seal that had saved him today. Had that one been another male? Or a female? He had not been able to look close enough to tell – who was he kidding? He’d seen enough seals to know it was a female. What if it had been a selkie…had it been a relative of Jesse’s? Did he have a family of other selkies looking for him, waiting for him, terrified that he’d ended up like the ones in Ana’s stories?

Ana hummed, her lips quirking into a smile when Hanzo snapped out of his thoughts and glanced back at her. With the storm outside and the rain growing heavier and heavier against the window, it cast deep shadows over her face, making her look older and weathered and yet no less wise for her years.

“There are far fewer stories about the male selkies – not because they got into any less trouble, but simply because they are less fascinating. There is one, however, that I can share. A Selkie lord who fell for a human woman. Oh, how he loved her so… more fiercely than all the oceans currents, and more passionately than all the tide’s pull. He would watch her every day, how she walked the sands, collecting shells and letting the ocean pull around her ankles. This woman was a special one indeed, he believed. She was a jewel amongst the rubble and dirt of humanity. One who understood that the ocean held beauty and wonder beyond anything she could dream of…so he decided to reveal himself to her.”

“Under the moonlight, when the sea would grant them feet to step on shore, he walked from the waves to her cottage, announcing his love and devotion. He begged her to return to the sea with him, but for all the ocean loved the woman just as much as the seal lord did, she could not grant a human passage beneath her waters. Nor would the human maid allow the seal lord to renounce his ties to the ocean for her. She loved him too, you see. So much so she would rather live a lonely life on land than allow him to give up his skin and his family in the sea. It was almost sickening sweet” Ana chuckled. The way she spoke left Hanzo confused – she spoke as if she had been there.

“So, the seal lord did something unthinkable. He tore a shred of his skin, ripping a piece of himself apart for his love. You must understand, Hanzo, that a selkie has only two things they hold truly valuable – their skin, and their heart. To love a human is to give up your heart for them. You may take no other once a love of that magnitude takes a hold of you. For a selkie to love a human woman so deeply as to want to tear his skin to prove it, he must truly have been desperate. But the ocean took pity. She created from the torn shred of skin a seal coat, a gift to the woman who had shown such devotion to the sea and its creatures. And so they lived amongst the waves together.” Ana finally finished, sighing softly as she stared into her teacup.

“Interesting stories indeed, but surely nothing more than local legends. Shape-shifters and things of fairy tales.” Hanzo hedged, wondering if he could get her to give him anything else. Anything that might explain what a creature like Jesse was doing around here. Or even how to deal with him. “No one has truly ever seen or believed these tales?”

Another curl of a smile left Hanzo feeling like there was a joke he wasn’t clued in on. He bit his tongue to avoid snapping at the woman as a wave of irritability washed over him, taking another sip of tea instead, looking away from her piercing eyes to the rest of the room. The dingy staff room with its single small square table and a few couches had never felt so oppressive. White walls with a stain or two here and there. The worn-out sofas were broken-in nicely. At least one of them was certainly a pull-out, but he’d never seen anyone attempt to do so. Maybe he should try to sleep in here tonight instead of the other room, it might help his-

“Hanzo?” He snapped out of his wandering thoughts, shaking his head to clear it even as it made his headache worse. Ana looked like she had been trying to get his attention for a minute or so, scrutinising him from across the table. “Becoming easily distracted and confusion can both be signs of a concussion.” Was all she said. He was not concussed! He growled a little, irritable that people wouldn’t just drop it. He wasn’t concussed, he’d know if he was. Wouldn’t he?

“I will not push you on it. But if you think I can hold your attention, I was going to say that for someone who had been living in the harbour for over a year, it is a wonder you have never heard the tale of Shailyn and Meiri. It’s a famous tale from around here, one the harbour folk know all too keenly.”

Even as his head throbbed in time to his heartbeat, Hanzo sighed. “I do not speak to the others down there often. We all keep strange hours. I will keep my focus, Madame Amari – please, continue.”

 

* * *

 

“Many, _many_ years ago, when this town was nothing more than a tiny village and the coast was rich with seals and selkies alike, two in particular became famous for their story. Sisters, born of the sea, with faces more beautiful than the sunrise, and voices like the morning waves. Their movements were that of dancers, and their spirits were strong. The villages knew of the sisters, of the powerful and graceful elder who led the colony and would give anything for the safety of her people, and of the sweet and playful younger, who loved her ocean home dearly but loved the land just as much.

Meiri, the younger sister, would spend her moonlit nights fleeing into the village, finding beauty in the people there, and finding fun in the simplest things. She was a light in the darkness, and beloved by all the village and colony alike. The moment the sun sank beneath the horizon, there she would be, laughing and dancing with whoever she could find in local markets and public houses. Whiling away her time until the elder sister swept through the village to collect her sister and bring her home once more.

Shailyn, the elder, did not see the beauty her sister saw. Shailyn loved her sister, but she loved her colony too, and of the two of them, it was the latter that usually came first. Shailyn would spend her nights cleaning the beaches, watching over the other maidens, and protecting them from those who would dare to harm one of her own. When all the colony were safe, she would steal into the village, not for fun and freedom, but to quickly bring her sister home lest the sunlight steal her skin from her forever.

Shailyn was said to have held much envy for her sister. Where Shailyn was the leader of their colony, bound by responsibilities and regulations, by the safety of her people first and her own freedom second, Meiri was allowed to run and play as she wished, and did not even seem to care for their ocean home and the people who loved them. But Shailyn loved her dear sister far too much to clip her wings. She gave her sister the freedom she wanted, the freedom she herself could never have, and trusted that one day Meiri would see the true dark hearts of man the way Shailyn did, and no longer find beauty in the creatures.

But this changed when Meiri found love.

A sailor from America, carting boxes and crates and cargo from the small ship. The stories say that Meiri fell for him faster a circling storm and twice as powerful. So, when he was left alone to guard their precious cargo in the small harbour, she could not resist but to reveal herself to him. He was a man of the sea, and she a daughter of it. Love was as inevitable as the sunrise. They spent their nights talking of the ocean, of the sky, of the sand and of cities with more people than Meiri could have ever dreamed of seeing. And as their love grew with each night they spent together, Meiri made her plans to leave her ocean home behind for the beauty of the shoreline and the love of the man who walked it.

But Shailyn was not so easily won. She had noticed her sister’s strange changes in behaviour and became worried. So, one night she followed her sister and discovered the affair. She disapproved, cursing her sister for her foolishness and lovesick heart, forbidding her from ever seeing the man again, thus sparking a hateful and violent fight between the two once-gentle sisters. It is said it stormed for weeks as the two fought, in the oceans and on the shore.

Shailyn could not understand how one person, a _human_ no less, could capture a selkie’s heart so deeply as to wish to leave their home. She could not see that Meiri’s love was so strong she had willingly given her heart to the sailor, given him the second most precious thing a selkie can give. Shailyn’s jealousy and anger grew harsher and harsher as the two fought as seals and humans alike, the colony fleeing the wrath of the sisters until all that was left was the two of them, alone in the sea foam.

In the end, it was Shailyn who finished the fight. In the harshest way she could. One night, so fed up with her younger sibling’s narrow-mindedness and stubbornness was she, the elder sister ripped the skin from her sister’s human form, throwing it upon a fire to burn while her sister screamed in torture at seeing her own skin charred and destroyed, feeling the fire as keenly as if it licked over her bones _“If you would love him so much, then go with him, but you will never be welcome amongst us again!”_ Shailyn cried, leaving her sister weak, naked, and alone on the beach as the sun rose over the clouds. When the first rays hit her skin, Meiri’s fate was sealed…

But the younger sister was strong, for the sands held her when the sea could not, and so gave her strength to stand. Meiri did not let herself weep for long. For she had the love of a man waiting for her on the shoreland, and she knew that even if she could never have the love of her sister again, she would not walk alone. So she stood on weakened feet, facing the dawn with human eyes for the very first time, and left the waves for the sandy beach. Turning her back on her sister’s cruelty and embracing her new life without her…

But what of Shailyn?

Without her sister’s joyful light and spirit, the elder sister suffered. Guilt and misery ate at her spirit and left her pained. Her mournful cries were heard every night, the cries of a selkie who refused to leave her skin, a self-inflicted punishment for what she had taken from her sister. If her sister was bound to one form, she too would bind herself… Shailyn lived in seal form so long she almost forgot her own humanity. Perhaps she would have, if not for a boat that returned to the harbour four years later.

It was a clear, warm night in the height of summer when a woman walked through the village with a bundle in her arms, following the cries of the mourning selkie down to the coastline with silent steps that left no trace upon the sand. She stepped past the selkies who welcomed her as one of her own, down to the single, lonely seal lying on the sand. “ _Oh, my sister.”_ She said, _“is this what has become of you? Come now, shed your skin and stand, my dear sister. I have someone you must meet, and she will be difficult to hold without your strong arms.”_ But Shailyn could not. She had spent so long this way, how could her sister simply forgive her so easily. _“I forgave you many moons ago, my beloved sister – now it is time for you to forgive yourself. Stand with me, you must meet my daughter.”_

And at the sight of her sister’s gentle smile, shining at her with nothing but love, Shailyn finally found the strength to shed her skin. She was just barely clinging to her human mind as memories assaulted her, the grief bringing tears to her eyes as she began to weep at her sister’s feet.

 _“You have been punishing yourself long enough, my sister,”_ Meiri told her. And still, Shailyn wept and cried a hundred apologies, begging for forgiveness even as Meiri laughed and told her it was unneeded. _“This is my daughter, Saoirse, she is our family as well now,”_ Meiri spoke, handing over the blanket-wrapped infant she had been carrying so close, the infant blinking her eyes up at Shailyn from the comfort of her hold. Younger and elder spoke all through the night, trading memories and creating new ones as Shailyn knelt in the waves and Meiri on the sand. But as the colony of selkies took up their skins to return to the sea once more, Shailyn did not join them, staring at the baby in her arms as her sister knelt on the sandy shore beside her.

 _“I took from you the thing we selkies hold most dear, and yet you have forgiven me.”_ She said.

 _“I have something else I hold even dearer now, my sister. I have my love and my family. My skin does not matter to me anymore_.” Meiri replied, eyes full of love staring down at Saoirse in her arms.

Shailyn felt her heart ache as she too stared at the smiling child, and knew what she must do, to truly find her peace.

_“But one day, it may matter to her…”_

Before anyone could stop her, Shailyn unwound the tangle of dark material from her form, letting the rising sunlight stain her shoulders in pale gold. She took her skin, swaddling the infant in it and handing it back to her sister as the tears fell from her eyes. _“One day, your daughter shall have a child of her own. And years later they too shall have a child. Someday, they may need this skin, and it shall mean more to them than it ever could to me. I took this chance from you, the chance to pass on what we know. What we are. Now, I return it to you.”_ Shailyn told her. And even as Shailyn knew what she had given up, her heartfelt relief that in some small way she was able to give back even a part of what she had taken from her sister. 

Shailyn and Meiri allegedly never saw each other again after parting ways. Some tales say Shailyn found love with a man in the village, living with him and having a family of her own until she passed away. Other tales say she died a lonely, old woman, while Meiri had a beautiful family in America with her love. Some would even argue she deserved it, depending on who you ask.”

“And what do you believe, Miss Amari? The way you tell it, the elder ruined the life of the younger out of nothing but spite and anger – surely she would deserve her own dose of misery?”

“Is that what you think? Shailyn loved her sister fiercely, no one meant more to that girl than Meiri did. Even when she was chasing the last rays of moonlight just to get them both home in time, it was because she wanted to give her the freedom she craved for as long as possible. She lived _years_ believing Meiri to hate her, forced to live with the knowledge of what she had done, what she had put the one person she should have protected more than anyone else through. Selkie skins are as valuable and unique as their owners, and Shailyn had to face the memory of destroying her own family’s so casually every single night. She mourned and wept for her sister for years upon years, and then when the time came that the two could meet again, Shailyn sacrificed her own ties to the ocean, her life, her legacy, her colony and friends and everything that was familiar to her, all to grant her sister’s child a chance at seeing their world one day. Don’t you think that is enough?”

Hanzo fell silent. He had no answer.

 

* * *

 

Seeing the seal shifting again that night was no less disconcerting than the first time. The strange static-fuzz at his edges, the blurring of seal to human as he watched the shape of the man come into being. Again, the thought came into his head to simply walk away. To leave him here, or to tell someone else – Ana knew of selkies, she would be a better help that he could be.

But the way Jesse looked at him…Every time, that look in his eyes made him turn away. Made him flee the room, leaving the man alone with a bag of clothes and a burger – a surprise gift from his brother, throwing the food at him and casually reminding him to eat tonight as he’d driven off in Lucio’s bright Lime green excuse for a car. His gut had swirled with nausea as he watched them turn out of sight.

 _‘At least the food won’t go to waste’_ he thought to himself as he flopped down in the spare room, a wriggling mess of otters clambering over his shoulders and through his hoodie pocket. Every squeak grated on his pounding head, but at least it gave him someone to talk to. Kawa soon settled into the pocket of his hoodie, a little nose and whiskers just sticking out as the furball sneezed and settled. Umi seemed to be having more trouble, clambering over his arms and shoulders until Hanzo finally ran out of patience, sighed heavily, and picked him up, bringing one of the milk bottles up for the little one to latch on to.

“At least you two are simple to care for.” He murmured, smiling weakly down at the little creature. “Food and companionship and you two are happy. If only everything could be so simple.” His smile faded. He began rubbing his thumb over the silky soft fur of Umi’s belly in a repetitive petting motion. “The tales Ana told earlier today, of the selkies, they explain much, but still leave so much more unanswered. How am I supposed to ask questions to a man who isn’t a man?” Trying to wrap his head around everything made it throb again; he winced at the spark of pain that laced through him. “And that story of the sisters…”

 He wasn’t clueless. If Ana had been telling the truth and it was a story told amongst the harbour folk, then it was a strange coincidence indeed, but he would have had to have been as blind as Genji to miss the similarities Ana had displayed in her story. Perhaps there was truth to the tale, that trying to clip Genji’s wings, to hold him too close, would hurt them both in the long run…Not wanting to spiral into that thought again, he stood from his chair, beginning to pace back and forth, humming an old lullaby as he did so. Inside the pocket of his hoodie he felt Kawa wriggling around as he settled himself, a comforting, grounding weight.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Umi…” He found himself murmuring after a period of silence, the same thoughts racing around his head with no escape. “Everything seems to be racing ahead of me, I feel like I just cannot keep up anymore Genji is happy here…happy enough to want to settle. So why can’t I feel happy for him?” He sighed again, running a hand through his hair before returning it to cup around Umi’s body as the otter wriggled up to lie on his chest, hearing Kawa squeak in annoyance as he was knocked inside the pouch.

He grits his teeth as he kept rambling on. “I thought for so long I knew what was best. That keeping on the move was the only option to keep us safe. I should be proud that he’s being so responsible, be proud of how far he’s come – yet all I feel is hollow. And if life wasn’t difficult enough, there’s a man who keeps transforming into a seal living in the other room and I cannot talk to anyone about it!” It was too risky to mention it to anyone…shit, even the camera footage would be risky, he’d need to check that over before the end of the night. It was going to be exhausting again it seemed…

It’s not that I am afraid or concerned – how can I be, I have seen the might of dragons, I simply…cannot understand it. Fareeha speaks of ‘old stories’ as if everyone here knows them, and yet I have heard nothing of these stories.” Before today, Hanzo had never heard of a selkie. The stories were old, but they were not common, or at least, not anymore it seemed. A selkie…how do you treat a seal who is not a seal? Where did he even come from? I feel-”He sighed, letting himself fall silent. What did he feel? Tired, fatigued, his head was killing him, and nausea was a constant companion at the moment it seemed. He felt…lonely.

“Look at me, Umi. Once I commanded the attention of hundreds, now – I’m talking to an otter for company.” If only the elders could see him now; How ashamed would they have been? “Perhaps Genji was right, perhaps I am destined to always be alone, in the end…” The old memory welling up pulled even more at his energy, draining him as the otter’s tiny nose nudged and nuzzled against Hanzo’s cheek. He thought he might have wanted to cry, but nothing was happening. He just felt…empty. Worn down like a jagged stone against the sea.

“Well, that’s soundin’ a little overdramatic now darling. The moon ain’t even that high yet, no need to go throwin’ a pity party for one when you got company.” Hanzo startled at the sudden voice. Snapping his head around to face the door as it opened, sharp eyes piercing Jesse McCree’s as the man wandered into the room. He was smiling at Hanzo, dressed in the loose sweats and vest that were still a little too short for him (Hanzo made a note to get something better fitting tomorrow) with the heavy red material of that strange cloak-skin-coat whatever it was draped around his shoulders. Hanzo softened his gaze when the smile turned awkward, Jesse halting his steps into the room. He didn’t want to frighten this man – seal? Man? – that he was in charge of caring for.

“Lookin’ a little low there, Darling. Wanna talk about it?” that low voice spoke so kindly to him, the accent warming the words. Hanzo looked away instead, scratching Umi under his jaw and listening to the baby otter chittering. Why would he want to talk about it with a stranger? He couldn’t tell this man everything that was going on. He didn’t need to bother anyone with his ridiculous thoughts.

“No, I was merely venting before. However, I do have questions for you, if you are prepared to answer them.” Hanzo spoke instead, settling Umi into his hoodie pocket with Kawa and sitting up straighter. When he faced Jesse again, he made sure he could give nothing away. Jesse looked surprised, but cleared his throat and motioned to the other well-worn sofa opposite Hanzo’s own comfy armchair.

“Well uh, mind if I sit down?” Hanzo nodded once, motioning to the free seat. He watched the man groan as he sank into the material with a sigh, looking the scruffy man up and down with a frown. He was still so skinny…

“Alright darling, I’m ready. I bet you got more questions than we got minutes till dawn, but I’ll do my best to tell you everythin’ I can. Lemme hear ‘em.”

Hanzo mind went blank. Faced with the grim resignation on Jesse’s face, he didn’t know where to begin. He had so much he wanted to ask…where did he come from? Why was he here? What had happened to his arm? Were there more of them? How did the shifting work? Were Ana’s stories true?

“How was the food?”

Someone just staple his mouth shut forever, please.

 

* * *

 

Jesse chuckled at Hanzo’s awkward words, the laughter only leaving Hanzo feeling even more embarrassed. What a ridiculous question to being with. Of everything he could have asked…fingers found the soft fur of the otters in his pocket, feeling the mounds rise and fall with each breath. Using it to calm himself.

“It was good. I don’t remember the last time I ate cooked meat.” The admission caught Hanzo off-guard. He looked up at Jesse again, at the way the man smiled at him with lazy-lidded eyes from across the space between them. “Don’t remember a lotta things, tell you the truth.” Kind brown eyes looked away for a moment. Hanzo frowned at that. Hadn’t Ana mentioned something about…?

“Do seals-?”

“Selkies.” Jesse McCree gave a crooked smile at the interruption, before waving for Hanzo to continue.

“Yes, Selkies. Do selkies often have memory troubles?” He asked. Jesse’s scruffy face warped into a frown, rubbing his hand over his beard as his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Hanzo fell silent, letting him ponder through his reply.

After a minute or two of silence, Jesse sighed. “I gotta be honest, Hanzo – it’s alright to call you that now? Great – Well I gotta tell you, I ain’t the poster child for best selkie. I _think_ I remember bein’ told once about how if ya don’t take up your legs for too long, y’start to lose it a little in the head...” He watched how Jesse’s eyes flickered around the room, eventually settling on the stump of his missing arm. “I remember…bits ‘n pieces. Feeling, old memories, sentences and conversations though I couldn’t tell you when they happened. It’s comin’ back slow though. Doing a helluva lot better than yesterday. Food and company seem t’ be helping too.”

Hanzo let him lapse into silence before prompting again. “Do you remember how old you are?” Jesse focused back on him with a tired smile. “Yeah, yeah I got that much in my head still. Thirty-seven.” Hanzo was surprised. The man was so close to his age, he hadn’t expected that… “been a selkie for the past…shit, twenty years or so.” Jesse seemed astounded by his own admission, rubbing his hand over the upper arm of his bandaged one, shifting awkwardly in his chair. Hanzo frowned again. The man looked so lost, hunched over on the chair, rubbing the bandages. That biotic cream must be getting itchy.

“Is it uncomfortable?” He motioned to the bandages. Angela’s notes about how the wound needed changing ringing in his head. “Wait here, let me get supplies, I need to change these.” Even the rustling of his clothing felt loud in the room, shifting around him as he stood up –

And fell forward. Dizziness blurring like static over his eyes, obscuring his vision.

“Whoah there!” Suddenly, a warm chest held him up, a solid hand holding his back, curled around him, keeping him steady. The scent of the sea, of salt and sands, such a visceral scent that had him in his childhood again, standing on that beach with his family, feeling the ocean around his feet. “Shit Hanzo, that head injury really okay? Y’should be restin’!”

As the dizziness passed, Hanzo finally took stock of what was happening. He was being held. By a strong arm. Against a warm chest, rumbling with every word spoke. Being cradled like something precious. Two concerned eyes staring down at him. Otters squeaking and rustling up a storm in his hoodie. His head was throbbing again. Like many of his problems these days, he ignored it. Pushing himself back from Jesse’s chest (and when had he moved to catch him?) he felt himself tense. Weak. It was a weakness.

“I’m fine.”

“’Scuse me if I don’t believe you” Hanzo held him tongue at the incredulous words. He didn’t need to start another argument. There were things to do, and he needed to get them done. It was going to be a long night as it was, no point delaying the inevitable.

“You should be restin’. Get some sleep, eat something – you _have_ eaten today, right?” The words made Hanzo bristle again. He was not a child, he could take care of himself! He didn’t need this scruffy stranger coddling him, _he_ was supposed to be doing that for Jesse!

…wait, what?

“I said I’m fine!” he eventually ground out. “Wait here. I need to change your bandages.” He ignored the way Jesse tried to stop him in favour of leaving the room. Down the hallways he walked, the otters finally settling as he stuck a hand into his pocket, brushing over their fur. “I’m alright, I’m alright…” he murmured. Underneath his skin, his dragons grumbled as well, their concern like a low buzz in the back of his already-aching skull. How embarrassing ( _how weak_ ) to faint again in front of Jesse.

This would be so much easier if the man was just a normal seal. Maybe then he’d stop feeling this strange pull, torn between the desire to remain behind his walls and the want to talk to someone who could talk back. The thoughts began to spiral again, and he bit the corner of his lip hard. “Umi, Kawa, I don’t like to admit this but…I don’t know what to do.”

 

* * *

 

“How does a seal-”

“Selkie.”

“Selkie, my apologies. How does a Selkie with such a southern American accent find his way to us? You certainly are not local. How did you get here, Jesse McCree?” Hanzo asked, deft fingers making light work of the bandages. His eyebrows rising in surprise at the sight of fresh skin and scarring already making quick work of the old injury. In the silence of the late hour, peace settled across the two of them. Moonlight fell across Jesse’s form in a blanket of silver as the man sighed, running his hand through his ragged hair again.

“Well, that’s a bit of a tale an’ a half.”

“You have no obligation to tell me. I have work to do tonight, and you will need to accompany me. If you are feeling well enough to move.” Hanzo offered, glancing up at the warm smile being aimed at him before glancing away again, fixating his gaze on the fold of bandage over bandage. With the injury the way it was, he wouldn’t even need them tomorrow…either Ana had changed her biotic cream or being a selkie came with more than just a fancy coat to wear.

“Sweetheart, how’s about I tell you how I got here, and you tell me how you got that nasty-lookin’ bandage on your beautiful head.” Hanzo strangled the heat that crept up his throat at the endearment.

“You are a flirt, I see.”

“Can’t help it when I see a man prettier than a summer sunset on the horizon. And you, gorgeous, certainly qualifies” Hanzo froze, that red surging up into his cheeks at Jesse’s words.

The sweet words burrowed under Hanzo’s skin. Left him feeling exposed, out of his depth. No one had called him ‘pretty’ before. Such a simple word threw him so off-balance, skipping a beat of the rhythmic winding of bandage. It took him a moment to shake it off, rolling his eyes and finishing up tucking and taping the bandage. The man was still practically a stranger, after all. It was a joke. Teasing. Playful teasing, that was all it was. Hadn’t Ana said something about Selkies being playful? Tricksters? Surely she had…hadn’t she?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In a much better mood with this chapter. As usual, comments are wonderful and every single one makes me smile. I'm so grateful to everyone who supports me on this silly little writing quest. It's strange, even when I make notes of what I want to happen with each chapter, something else happens and the story gets away from me! As someone who lives for planning and structure, it's been strangely fun! I just hope you're prepared to stick with me for a little while, this is going to be a long one! As usual, spelling and grammar and everything will be fixed when it isn't 3am and I'm not running on caffeine and fumes.


	10. Of long-lost lullabies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse finds an old friend, and slowly starts to make a new one. And maybe realises he's not so alone as he thought...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a break from writing, then got a new laptop and had to shift over all the files, then got awful writer's block and couldn't make anything flow properly so this is my least favourite, likely poorly written chapter but I have SO MANY PLANS now this one is out of the way!
> 
> I just couldn't make it flow the way I wanted to and it was so difficult to write Jesse because there's stuff he can't know and reactions he doesn't understand and I just...I really struggled. I couldn't get myself in the headspace I needed but I knew if I left it much longer this would end up an abandoned work and I refused to let that happen.
> 
> Also for christmas one of my friends who is not a Mchanzo shipper, knows nothing about the games and didn't even know my A03 account SOUGHT OUT this fic and drew fanart for it and gave it to me in public and never have I had a faster fight or flight response than in the moment I realised what I was looking at. I have never known true fear until I experiences the dawning horror that she actively sought this shitshow of a fic out to draw me shit.
> 
> https://the-hallowed-lady.tumblr.com/post/181275070761/4-aleisha-uwu-the-hallowed-lady-when-your-friend

_Flirting._ A wink of one eye to fluster; to draw a blush up across pale cheeks. Smooth words like honey spilling from smiling lips. Jesse _remembered_ flirting. And now that he was doing it once again, he remembered why as well. Watching the way that pretty shade of pink rushed up over Hanzo’s face, how the man frowned and avoided eye contact as he tried to fight it down, how he stared so resolutely at Jesse’s arm as if he was trying to bore a hole through it…it filled Jesse’s chest with a rumble of bubbly affection so long missed it made him giddy.

The old selkie was almost certain that he’d never met someone like Hanzo before. Strange and withdrawn, but so kind hearted that it shone through his eyes every time he was away from people.  When Jesse was in his skin, something in the strange man seemed to bloom open, but the moment he shed it, it was gone again, hidden behind walls higher than that sand divot he’d been trapped in. There was just something so beautiful to it, to the way his smile softened as he looked at the otters but fell away altogether when faced with a human. Jesse was curious. He wanted to know everything, see everything, learn this man inside and out, find what made a man with such a kind heart stare at him with such an old soul. Learn his life as he was trying to learn Jesse’s.

Something powerful drew Jesse towards him. The same power that had drawn him to the sea so many years ago…The push and pull against his very being that just said, _‘this one. This is where you’re meant to be.’_

Jesse’s arm tingled pleasantly every time Hanzo’s hands brushed over it. He could feel the gentle pressure as one strong hand wound the bandaging tighter. At least it didn’t hurt anymore…though he couldn’t imagine what swimming with it was going to be like…

If he’d ever return home…

But this wasn’t the time to think about it.

“So it is this ‘skin’ that gives you your power?” Hanzo asked, finishing tying up the bandages and reaching for a strange-looking plastic wrap. Memories he couldn’t recall told him to recoil - but were beaten down by the trust he was nursing for Hanzo. The man had done nothing to hurt him (‘ _yet._ _The night is young…_ ’ ‘ _ah, shaddup will you’_ ).

“Eeyup. ‘S a little more complicated than that, but in the simplest terms, sure.” Jesse said with a grin. Running his right hand over the soft fabric lovingly, “This ol’ thing’s seen its share of owners, that’s for sure.” He chuckled fondly, more quick flashes of a woman with hair the colour of the moonlight and a scent like a sea breeze coming back to him.

She had smelled like Hanzo did…

“It doesn’t look much like a seal skin.” Hanzo commented with a frown, staring at the red serape wrapped over Jesse’s shoulders, covering the old shirt Hanzo had loaned him. It wasn’t quite long enough to cover his torso comfortable, riding up if he raised his arms or shoulders, but it was clean and carried that scent of home that always seemed to surround Hanzo – he really needed to find out why that was. It made him ache to just lean forward, wrap himself up in that scent and bury his face in the soft-looking hair and-

“What do you think you’re doing?” snapped Jesse out of his haze sharply. He hadn’t even realised he was leaning forward, slowly closing the small gap between them until a squeaking noise and a furry nose poked out of the pouch on Hanzo’s hoodie, beady black eyes staring like the devil himself up at Jesse McCree. He glared back, the small cuts on his hands from teeth and claws still stinging even as they had almost healed (Devil creatures. Fucking. Devil. Creatures.) but fixed a smile to his face as he looked back up at Hanzo. The man was leaning away from him warily, and Jesse sat back on the sofa with a sheepish grin.

“Hehe, sorry there darlin’. You smell like the ocean somethin’ fierce, guess it’s makin’ me more than a lil’ homesick” He explained, shrugging one shoulder. Hanzo’s eyes narrowed again in a glare, reaching a hand down until the otter could bump its tiny nose against the man’s hand, making soft purring noises even as its evil eyes stared at Jesse. He wanted to growl at it, baring his teeth until Hanzo looked back up at him again and he turned it into a grin instead. But at least he leaned forward again, finishing wrapping the waterproof casing around the bandages. Jesse pretended he didn’t feel something tug in his chest as those hands fell away.

“There. How does that feel?”

Jesse raised a hand to his head, muscle memory wanting to grab…something. Something that wasn’t there. He detoured to run through his hair instead, winking at Hanzo with a smile.

“Almost as good as new, thank ya kindly darlin’.” Hanzo huffed out a short sigh, rolling his eyes again, reaching towards a yellow bottle on the low coffee table. It rattled and smelled chemical as he brought it nearer.

“If you’re quite done with your poor attempts at flirting, you need to take more antibiotics.” Hanzo told him. Even with his words closed off and professional, Jesse could still see that sweet shade of pink creeping up the man’s neck. He wondered how far down it went. “And do not be childish this time. I will not be swayed by senseless flattery.”

Well, if that didn’t just sound like a challenge. “Oh sweetheart, you just say the word and I’ll show you just how ‘poor’ my attempts are”. He grinned, resting his jaw on the heel of his hand and staring at Hanzo through lidded eyes. “Handsome fella like you, bet you’ve seen your fair share ‘a suitors, hm? Gonna have to try real hard to impress you, ain’t nothing senseless in my words darlin’.” Jesse found himself grinning as he saw how his words caught Hanzo off-guard again. The man looked so startled, his eyebrows knitting together as he shoved the bottle towards Jesse.

“Stop your foolishness, take your medicine.” Hanzo stared resolutely past Jesse at the wall behind him, glaring a hole into white plaster, one hand tucked into his hoodie, no doubt petting those demon slinkies again…

He pretended he wasn’t glaring as he popped the bottle open.

**_‘time for another dose, my pet’_ **

The scent of chemicals from the bottle had his hackles raising, however hard he tried to ignore it. He didn’t want to make Hanzo angry, not after he’d already done so much for him…but it didn’t matter. It felt unsafe. A threat, a danger. His head still sent off warning bells, reminding him of disgusting medicine that made him weak, the woman with needles and knives leaning over him, the red liquid and the sharp objects. Carving, carving him apart while he was still conscious…

“Jesse?” Hanzo’s voice snapped through the fogging memories. He was frowning. Worried. Jesse didn’t want to worry him. Not him. “Jesse you’re…what’s wrong?” Needles and knives, but they weren’t here, but his arm ached – the pills, the medicine, lacing his food, leaving him defenceless, hurting hurting hurting, _dying-_

_Warmth._

“Alright, alright, shh, shh…I have you…”

_Soft hands touching him so gently._

“Easy now. Shh…It’s alright, take it slow.”

Ocean scent. Home scent. No more blood. Safe scent…

“Je- hey!” The sudden exclamation snapped through the fog of hazy memories. The sound of growling and hissing and threat caught his ears and he reared away from where he had been buried so snugly against Hanzo’s shoulder – when the fuck did that happen? – just as tiny claws scraped for him and tiny teeth bit at him, two tiny faces with beady black eyes poking out of the pocket. One of them even climbed all the way out, clambering up over Hanzo’s shoulder to glare at Jesse. But Hanzo didn’t even notice. Hanzo stared back at him, concern in his eyes.

“Jesse, breathe. Focus.” He realised Hanzo was tapping his arm rhythmically, slow, metronomically even bursts of pressure against his upper arm. He began to pace his breathing to them. Why had he stopped breathing? “ What happened? You – appeared stuck in your thoughts.” His heart raced in his chest now he was focusing on it, and he felt tired all of a sudden.

With a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair, continuing to match his breathing to that tapping against his upper arm. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four… His smile was grim. “Sorry darlin’, don’t quite know what came over me there” a lie. He knew it was a lie. If the rolling eyes was any indication, so did Hanzo.

“You went still, silent, then tucked up against me and gripped my shirt. You did not respond when I called your name – what triggered it?” Jesse glanced at the pill bottle, scattered on the floor and rolled halfway under the table. Hanzo turned to it as well. “Ah, I see.” Jesse found himself missing the rhythm as Hanzo’s hand’s slipped away, the otter around his shoulder scurrying down Hanzo’s arm as he reached for the bottle. “You reacted poorly last time I attempted to give you antibiotics also. Was it the bottle? Did this trigger a memory?”

_The dark room with the blood on the walls, the smell of chemicals. Red, red everywhere. Why was he here? Why was she doing this? Food rotting in the corner. The chemical scent rising from it. He would starve without it. But he would suffer with it. Gabe, Gabe, Gabe where are you why did she take him what did she want –_

_“It was supposed to be **mine**.”_

“What do you mean?” again, the sudden voice snapped Jesse out of the hazy nightmare threatening to drag him back into its depths. His chest ached at the memories. Clearer and clearer…it made him wonder if his mind was protecting him from something it didn’t want him to see.

“Say what?”

“You said ‘supposed to be mine’. What did you mean?” Jesse’s head hurt. He groaned as he ran a hand through his hair.

“I…I don’t know.” He muttered, grumbling as he tried to think clearly. “Sorry darlin, I ain’t being much use.” He smiled tiredly. Hanzo’s fierce features didn’t relax, but he did hum in reply. Silence fell naturally between them for a few moments before Hanzo sighed, looking towards the clock and standing. Jesse watched his steps as the man paced the room, one hand absent-mindedly stroking the squeaking otter. He was silent as he moved through the room, looking out the windows and into the corridors and over at the clock again. Jesse wanted to ask what was going on but he didn’t think it wise to distract him. He appeared deep in thought.

“It appears your memories are fighting with each other…Trauma can sometimes cause this amnesia. A mind protecting itself from painful thoughts.” Hanzo eventually said, startling Jesse as he broke the silence again. “It’s possible perhaps they shall come back in time, and we can discuss what to do from there – for now, you’ll be here until your arm is finished healing.” Jesse brought his hand up to cover the bandaged stump, wanting to turn away, to hide it, but Hanzo didn’t let his gaze linger there for long. No, instead the man turned back towards the door.

“Where’re ya going Hanzo?”

“I have to see to the other residents here – and check the security cameras. I cannot guarantee that your...condition hasn’t been noticed by our security. I should have seen to it much sooner” Jesse felt himself deflate. So he would be left here again, alone, all night once more. He didn’t notice how Hanzo frowned as he looked over his shoulder back at him. But he noticed when Hanzo paused at the door.

“Perhaps…you would like to come with me? You haven’t seen the sanctuary yet. It might do you some good - you will need to see your new enclosure anyway.”

Jesse had never been so happy to follow a man.

 

* * *

 

The stars shone brightly in the sky, darting in and out of sight behind the clouds. The fresh scent of rainfall on fertile soil filled Jesse’s lungs, and he could even feel the buzz of residual lightning from the earlier storm. He wished he’d been outside in it earlier, feeling the power of nature rock through the sky. Livi loved the storms. Gabe was always too busy protecting the rest of the colony, getting them away from the harsher tides and into safer waters and caves. Watching clouds rolling like great beasts across the ocean, seeing the tides change course and the water churn.

**_When had he last seen the ocean…?_ **

“Watch your step – there’s spare workboots that should fit you just by the doorway” Hanzo called back to him, already making his way down the steps to the cobbled pathway. The boots were heavy, chunky around his feet but at least he could tuck the laces in. Underneath the faint moonlight, Jesse took in the sights around him.

“Shit, where the hell is this place?” He asked aloud with a chuckle. He could hear splashing water, the humm and buzz of machines in the background, but no people, no cars, none of the usual noise he heard even when he was on the coast. The air was clear and fresh. It was so peaceful it almost shocked him.

“The sanctuary was built to be as noise shielded as possible. The only vehicles that drive down here are specialist ones. It keeps the air clear and the animals calm.” Hanzo spoke from ahead of him. Their footsteps crunched in the stones beneath their feet as Hanzo swung a right on the lath, heading for a large cylindrical building not too far off.

“You guys built all ‘a this?” Jesse asked in awe. The cylindrical building was decorated with wooden panelling on the outside. He could hear the trickle of running water from the inside as he followed Hanzo around the edge of the building, into a wood-panelled entranceway that sloped downwards as it curved around the building, leading to two large glass viewing windows. Soft artificial lighting illuminated plants and rocks, a stream and even a waterfall running down a rock face against one quarter of the wall.

“No, I am merely a volunteer here. Others built this place, we simply maintain it.” Jesse stared at Hanzo as the man stopped in front of the huge windows, frowning and staring intensely through the glass into the artificial area beyond.

Jesse tried to follow his line of sight, squinting and trying to spot whatever was so captivating in the curved building. “What’re you lookin’ for Hanzo?” He eventually asked. Hanzo only frowned a little harder, Jesse noticed how one of his hands was scratching a tiny brown head as it poked out of his front pocket and he tried not to feel jealous again. Why couldn’t Hanzo treat him like that?

“This is the sea otter’s habitat. We have six permanent residents and three rehabilitation patients. I am counting them.” Hanzo replied. Jesse raised his brows in surprise,

“’Y can see ‘em from here?” Dark eyes flicked to look at Jesse, a crease of confusion knitting stern features together.

“You cannot?” Hanzo asked. Before Jesse could reply, Hanzo reached out, taking a gentle hold of his wrist – and _that_ made his skin shiver from the sudden warmth, like a bolt of lightning up his arm – and pulling him forward. “Here, stand by me. Now follow my mark, just by the edge of the pool, to the left of the waterfall is a nook in the wall, it leads to their sleeping area-” The rest of the words were lost to Jesse as he stared ahead, his vision still too fucked up to follow Hanzo’s instructions but his body more than compensating by amplyifying every brush of Hanzo’s clothes against his skin, the warmth radiating against his side as Hanzo stood beside him. The intense heat where Hanzo had, likely unconsciously, rested a hand against his shoulder, over the top of his skin like it belonged there but not to hurt, never to hurt, still trying to guide Jesse’s vision to see whatever the hell he was-

“-Can you see them?” Jesse jumped at the sudden question, turning his head away from the glass. Hanzo looked irritated again, and Jesse gave what he hoped was an apologetic smile in exchange.

“Sorry darlin’, my eye is fucked up somethin’ terrible, can’t see much of anything that far away right now.” Irritation bled into concern at that, and suddenly-

Hanzo’s hands were _grabbing his face_ , holding him close, so close, staring so deeply, and that ocean scent was so strong Jesse wanted to _drown_ in it and pull him close and stay wrapped up in this strange man forever and ever and he couldn’t breathe he was _so close_ -

“Your right eye has been hazy since I found you. Is it still causing you problems?” Those words, spoken with such concern, so softly Jesse could almost say they were whispered if he were a braver man, and he found himself nodding because the words just wouldn’t come to him but now Hanzo’s hands were leaving his face and he felt so cold-

“You should have mentioned sooner – I will bring it up with Dr Zeigler in the morning.”

Jesse dragged a shuddering breath into his lungs when Hanzo released him, stepping away again and standing in front of the glass instead. Jesse’s chest felt like someone had kicked him as he stood there, shaking, his skin itching and tingling. He didn’t even realise he was leaning forward until his feet almost unbalanced him. Jesse wrapped his serape tighter around himself, muttering a quickly ‘y-yeah, alright’ as he stepped closer to the glass again. Just to be close to him. Just to be warm.

When a sound like a broken squeaky-toy suddenly filled the silence, Jesse found himself being stared down by one of the brown slinkies currently still resting in Hanzo’s pocket. Beady black eyes glared at him, and he hissed back, although soon stopped when Hanzo turned to stare at him.

“What? He started it.”

“They are otters, Jesse”

“demon-creatures is what they are.” At least that got a huff of laughter out of Hanzo. He relaxed a little at that, not even noticing he’d been tense still until he did so. When Hanzo finally seemed satisfied with whatever he was looking at in the artificially lit pool, Jesse trailed behind him, following him out of the building and back into the welcoming moonlit glow.

“So, uh…why aren’t those two in with the others?” He asked, ducking his head towards Hanzo’s pocket, and where his fingers were scratching over the head of one ball of fluff. He wasn’t jealous. _He wasn’t._

“They are an orphan case. According to my brother, they are aggressive and require more hands-on care. They are not yet capable of managing to fight the others for their fair share of food. So I will be raising them.”  Oh. Great.

“That’s uh, that’s real sweet a’ you.” Jesse said, smiling even as Hanzo regarded his with suspicion. “What? Just cause I ain’t a fan of the critters don’t mean it’s ain’t a great thing what you’re doin’” Hanzo’s frown softened at that, the defensive posture falling away.

“I find myself wondering if my brother did not have ulterior motives.” Jesse heard him murmur, his hands still stroking the fluffy brown fur. “But they are good creatures. I would not see them given to another sanctuary if I knew I could help them.” The words struck something in Jesse’s mind. Another memory, perhaps, but he didn’t dwell on it, instead smiling and letting the words fall off his tongue with a soft sense of déjà vu,

“Everyone is worth saving. Sometimes you just gotta show ‘em how.” Dark eyes that shone in the moonlight turned to him in surprise. Hanzo paused in the middle of the path, staring at Jesse with curious surprise. It made him a little nervous, to be the subject of such sudden scrutiny. He tugged his skin closer around himself, and smiled in what he hoped was a friendly manner.

“Something I said, darlin’?”

“No…it’s just, The sanctuary Master, Mr Morrison – his partner once told me the same thing. Those exact words. I suppose it just caught me off-guard. My apologise.” Hanzo almost seemed to shake himself free of whatever had held him still, continuing to crunch over the gravel pathways with his head down, leaving Jesse to follow behind. Jesse frowned as he considered this new information…

_Who had last told him those words…?_

They continued on like that, moving from the otters to a penguin habitat – and Jesse had been fascinated by the creatures, why could blame him? The closest he’d ever come to penguins were a couple he managed to hunt for food on a lucky trip years ago. There were so much cuter when there were snuggled up asleep with their chicks. If Hanzo heard him cooing over them then Jesse didn’t care. Peaceful underneath the starlight, Jesse was happy to follow Hanzo from habitat to habitat, asking and answering questions in turn. His favourite moments were the times he’d startle a laugh out of Hanzo, the sudden sound catching the pair of them off-guard.

He was so focused on those little reactions from Hanzo, he almost didn’t noticed the pull of a song as he reached the bottom of a set of stairs. A soft humm from somewhere beyond the metal gateway, past the stirs to whatever platform was above his head. The sound of water moving back and forth, lapping at the sides of something out of sight, and Jesse could almost feel the movement of creatures that seemed so familiar darting through the water. Almost feel how they twisted and turned beneath the waves, the pull of their movements. Oh, how he wanted to join them. To swim with them and dart through the waters and chase Olivia around the coves until he-

“Hey, Hanzo.” Jesse’s voice spoke without his permission, reaching forward to rest a hand on the locked gate. “What’s in there?” He could almost hear the song calling to him properly now. A colony calling for him…

“Are you sure you wish to see?” Hanzo asked, Jesse glanced out of the corner of his eyes as Hanzo stepped up beside him. “It may be…upsetting, for you. In your current state.” Jesse hummed softly, feeling the call of something in the water beyond the gate. He didn’t answer, just pushed against the locked gate again. His skin felt warm around his shoulders, tingling and prickling at his flesh.

“I feel like…Like I know someone up there.” Jesse mumbled, a smile beginning to stretch over his face. Something was calling him. It reminded him so much of the colony. “I wanna see ‘em. I’ll be alright.” He assured Hanzo. Hanzo sighed, pulling out the ring of keys and fixing one into the lock. Jesse hardly waited for him to push it open before he climbed up the stairs. Just above his head was a plateau, a huge faux rocky area with sand and some real rocks decorating the giant pool in the center. The water lapped over the edges of the pool invitingly, salt water and shimmering moonlight spilling over the edges. Jesse walked to the edge of the pool, staring down into the dark water below.

He didn’t turn even as he felt Hanzo climb the steps beside him, so focused on staring down into the water below. The song grew stronger here, present in the shift of bubbles, of something darting through the water. He absently noticed how Hanzo stopped beside him.

“This is the rehabilitation and residency pool for our seals. We have some here who are too injured or unwell to be returned to the ocean. Eventually…it is possibly where you will be, before you are returned.” Jesse heard the words but only grunted in response, instead moving to kneel at the pool edge. The sea water called to him, like the ocean did. And even with his blurry eyes, he could make out the shapes darting through the water, coming closer, closer, closer –

“Jesse, look out-!” Water splashed over the both of them, Hanzo gasping at the sudden cold, and the otters shrieking their displeasure as they recoiled. Not Jesse though. No, he just grinned widely at the wave of sea water washing over him as something broke the water, splashing him as it flopped to the ground next to him, barking excitedly and slapping against the grainy sand covering the fake ground. A dappled grey snout shoved into his legs, his hands, something heavy throwing itself over him, barking and nudging him. He could hear Hanzo’s sounds of concern off to the side but he wasn’t worried. Oh no. No now. Now, Jesse’s heard filled with joy as he threw himself back against the heavy lump still trying to pin him down.

“Kijo! Shit it’s really you! Though I could hear you – fuck kid we though you were dead! Oh Man Gabe’d go apeshit” Jesse exclaimed in joy. He KNEW he’d recognised the song coming from the pool. Around them, other shapes, other seals, were beaching themselves on the ground. It took Jesse a moment to sit up, but when he did, he found himself surrounded by seals. Some older, some younger, all staring at him. And Kijo…fuck. The old selkie stared in wonder down at the juvenile seal in his lap, snorting and nudging his damp nose into Jesse’s hand.

“…you know these seals?” Hanzo asked him. When Jesse finally looked up, he noticed how Hanzo was keeping a fair distance back, holding his hands around the squirming otters trying to get out of his pocket. He was staring over at Jesse curiously, but not making any move to come closer. Jesse wondered why, but was soon distracted by the utter joy as the seals around him all nudged and nuzzled. It made his heart sing and he scratched Kijo’s head lovingly.

“Shit, yeah I do – not all ‘a them. But I’d never forget this little guy.”

Hanzo remained a ways back, but had finally relaxed his posture. “Another selkie?” He asked. Jesse shook his head,

“No, no Kijo’s just a normal seal. But he was colony, y’know. Gabe helped his ma birth him, and he was such a tiny runt we didn’t think he’d make his first summer. Seemed no matter how much fish we all caught for him, poor guy never gained weight. When he went missing, we all feared the worst.” Jesse kept petting Kijo’s speckled nose affectionately. He could remember it. Remember Gabe’s frantic searching, remember Mali’s mournful cries on the beach. Remember how angry Gabe was for weeks after they had to give up searching and move on with the migration that year.

“Yes, He was named ‘Pepper’ after we found him. The theme for that season was drinks, so every seal found was named after a popular brand. No matter how ridiculous.” Jesse’s lips quirked up in a smile at Hanzo’s scoff. Pepper…yeah right. Olivia had named this little guy Kijo. He remembered that. “Dr Zeigler found him to have a thyroid problem. He was struggling to hunt and would keep attempting to approach humans for food-”

“Probably cos he got so used to Gabe huntin’ for him” Jesse chuckled. Little guy was always begging for more food even after Gabe gave him all he could. He remembered.

“We had to make the decision to keep him here permanently. Where he could be treated and cared for” Hanzo finished. He sounded nervous. Kijo rumbled and snorted, and Jesse could almost hear how his song shifted around him as the lump kept laying over him. Colony, family – and he looked so healthy now… “Jesse, I’m sorry to say this, but Pep- Kijo will likely never survive in the ocean again. Without the medication and food he receives here it is likely he will lose weight and die very quickly in open waters. That is why he is here. We cannot send him home if he wouldn't survive.”

His arm throbbed a little at those words, drawing his attention away from Kijo for a moment to stare down at his own bandage-wrapped arm. Kijo even turned to nudge at the plastic wrap. The warmth in his chest faded away little by little as he thought about what awaited him…would he be stuck here too? Ws he doomed to this pool of water with Kijo and the others for the rest of his life? Could he swim with a missing fin? Hunt with a missing fin? Shit what if he could never go back to Livi? To the others? He’d never even be able to tell Mali he found her son. Was that what waited him? Was that even a life worth living?

“Jesse? Jesse McCree listen to me.” Once again, Hanzo’s firm voice shook him out of his reverie and he crashed back out of his thoughts. There was a burning grip on his shoulder. Hanzo. Holding him and kneeling beside him while Kijo continued to nudge and huff against his hand. Hot tears he hadn’t even realised were there fell down his cheeks. Fuck – the last thing he’d ever told Livi was ‘don’t do anything stupid’. What if that was the last thing he’d ever-

“Jesse McCree. Whatever it is you are worrying about, I promise you. I will _NOT_ let you become a resident here.” Hanzo’s words were passionate as he squeezed his shoulder. Tying Jesse in that moment. His dark eyes shone with silver fire in the light of the moon. He looked so adamant. Sp convinced. “I Promise you. I will do everything within my power to make sure you see the ocean again. You _will_ return there. Even if I must work with you for months until you are swimming like a natural seal again. I will not let you feel like you are trapped here. I promise you this. And I do not break a promise easily.” It was like staring into an inferno, looking at the fire that burned behind those eyes. Like staring down a great sea dragon. Gabe had looked at him like that once.

Jesse could almost believe him, when Hanzo stared at him like that.

 

* * *

 

“Here, I just have one last thing to do, then I will show you the resting pool Dr Zeigler would like you to be kept in. It won’t take a moment.” Jesse just trailed behind, looking around at everything. He’d been left feeling despondent after they left Kijo and the other seals at the pool. It had just left him thinking a lot. His thoughts felt like seaweed, tangled up and brushing against the edges of his mind, trying to find purchase where they simply couldn’t. So, he stopped trying.

“The doc seems nice.” He offered as small talk. “Always smells like coffee.”

“Heh, yes, she certainly does. The woman does not know how to rest, no matter how badly she preaches it to the rest of us.” Hanzo replied. Their footsteps echoed through the empty building, grey walls kept sparse, nothing like the posters and colours of the building Jesse had been staying in. It was cool in here, the fluorescent lights flickering on automatically as they moved through the empty building. Ahead of him, Jesse heard Hanzo let out a yawn. Even one of the otters had migrated to the man’s hood, curled up fast asleep in the fabric there.

“You ain’t slept much, have you?” Jesse asked. Not that he needed to. “’shouldn’t have to stay up with me all the time – it’s gotta be almost three in the morning by now, an' you have a head injury.” He muttered, picking up the pace to walks beside Hanzo, glancing at the white bandage still wrapped around his head. He couldn't believe he hadn't forced the man to look after himself earlier. “And don’t think I ain’t noticed that you haven’t eaten anything-”

“I can take care of myself, thank you.” Hanzo interrupted him, as they finally reached a door at the end of the corridor, pushing it open. The room was full of cameras, different screens showing different areas. Jesse recognised the otter pool, could see Kijo resting in the seal pool, as well as other areas he didn’t think Hanzo had shown him. “This won’t take a moment, take a seat.” Hanzo motioned him towards one of the abandoned office chairs pushed up to the counter. The moment he sat down, he sighed, almost sagging down into the leather. Fuck, he hadn’t realised how exhausted all the walking had made him. He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts drift…s they seemed to a lot nowadays, they came back to the Hanzo.

“Just because y’can take a’ yourself don’t mean you can’t let others do it sometimes…” he muttered, his eyes still closed, resting his head back on the chair. He heard the click of the keyboard pause for a moment, then continue again with no response. He didn’t expect one. He wondered what would happen if he just…pulled the man down, held him there, made him rest. It’d be nice to sleep next to warmth again. Then they could both get some sleep, Jesse could keep him safe like Hanzo was doing for him, trying so hard, keeping his secret. The scent of exhaustion hung like a permanent shroud around Hanzo’s shoulders. Jesse wondered idly when the last time the man had just…let himself ‘be’. Let himself relax around another person…

He wondered if he even counted as a person anymore. His arm ached with phantom pains. He had the urge to scratch his wrist, and was halfway towards raising his right hand when he remembered his wrist wasn’t there anymore. He kept his eyes closed even as his face screwed up again. Why couldn’t he even remember what had happened to him? All he remembered was red. Red and more red and red dripping…and a faint memory of soft, lilting words being sung like an old familiar tune. Jesse couldn’t recall the words, could hardly recall the melody; He wished he could. He remembered it bringing such peace. The song she taught him…

 

_“Jesse McCree! Get back here young man!” He ran from the shrill scream, his heart pounding as his feet hit the dirty, dusty concrete below, running from the woman yelling for him as she chased him down into the streets. His heart swelled with anger and shame, but he didn’t stop, not until he was far away from her sights and her voice. He ran out of the small town until nothing but sand and sparse brush was around him. The sun was hardly high, and left him sweating as he finally stopped in the shade of a tree, curling himself up tightly. It wasn’t his fault. He hadn’t meant to break his sister’s dolls. She’d cried so loudly, screaming at him. They were all so angry with him. It wasn’t his FAULT. It was an accident…but mama didn’t have the money to replace the doll…little Rosy loved that doll._

_He sniffled, rubbing the tears away from his eyes. He would never go back home. They couldn’t be mad at him if he wasn’t home. He’d hide out here in the woods, learn to shoot the wild animals and live off them. That way he’d never have to go home again-_

_“ **Má bhíonn daoine súgach, 's má bhím súgach leo, Ó cad é sinn don te sin nach mbaineann sin dó~?”** Jesse paused, lifting his head and scrubbing his face clear of tears. He could have sword he heard someone. Someone singing. A song he didn’t know the words to, but sounded beautiful all the same. He peered around the tree he was taking shade under. A woman, kneeling just past a fence in a nearby garden. She brushed her dust-covered hands off on the stained apron, and adjusted the cloak around her shoulders, smiling at something Jesse couldn’t see. Her silver hair tied in a braided bun behind her head. Jesse watched her secretly, how she moved around the garden space. When she began to sing again, he found himself listening. _

**_“Deir daoine go bhfuil mé gan rath is gan dóigh Gan earraí, gan éadal, gan bólacht nó stór; Ach má tá mise sásta mo chónaí i gcró Ó cad é sinn don te sin nach mbaineann sin -_ ** _Oh? Who do we have here?” Jesse froze, suddenly realising the woman had turned towars the old tree. Had turned towards him. Was watching him. Was smiling at him. Was beckoning him closer._

_“_ That’s strange…” Jesse jolted awake at the sudden deep voice, too out of place in the dream. Blinking open his blearly eyes, it took him a moment to orient himself, to squint past the blurriness and stare at Hanzo. Hanzo, who was staring with a firm frown at one of the screens, seemingly watching something back over and over again, rewinding and replaying while he squinted at the screen.

“’m? Whazzit?” Jesse grumbled out, yawning loudly and stumbling out of the chair. He rested his hand on Hanzo’s shoulder to steady himself as he tried to make his good eye focus on the screen, but drawing his hand away like he’d ben burned as Hanzo tense up. “Shit, sorry, didn’t mean t’ just grab you like that.” Jesse held up his hand in surrender. But Hanzo didn’t even turn to look at him, just remained focused forward.

“It’s fine. Look here.” Hanzo beconed him close again, and Jesse sighed as he felt the warmth radiating from Hanzo’s form, tucking up close and leaning forward to see the footage on screen. It just looked like normal CCTV footage to him. He recognised the staff room he and Hanzo had been in earlier, now empty and silent. “Do you see the problem?”

“Uh…?”

“This was the footage from earlier tonight. This was the time you should have been shifted, sitting with me in that room.”

“And…?” Hanzo turned to stare at him, his eyes so close Jesse could see the screen light reflected in his eyes.

“And? We are clearly neither of us on that screen!” Hanzo gestured forward, waving his hand at the monitor. “The footage is playing on a loop. You can see the glitches in the camera feed if you watch closely. But what I cannot work out is why…” Jesse shook himself out of staring at Hanzo again and looked back to the feed as well. He squinted, staring closely, leaning over Hanzo’s shoulder (the scent of seawater and fresh salt air so strong in his hair…was it as soft as it looked? No, not the time.)

“So what’s it mean?” Jesse asked.

Hanzo’s frown deepened. “There is either a fault with the camera, or someone is covering our tracks for us.” Jesse froze at that suggestion. If that was true…then someone else knew what he was. Someone else knew he was here. And someone else didn’t want anyone else to find out.

“Someone else knows what I am. Someone else knows I'm here.” Jesse filled in the silence.

“Yes.” Jesse’s heart thudded heavily. Someone else knew his secret. The secret he’d promised Gabe he would never share. Someone who wouldn’t be as kind as Hanzo, who would hurt him again, drag his skin from his shoulders cut it up and tear it apart and try to work out how it works until there was nothing left of it. “Don’t worry Jesse. I promised you you would see the ocean again and I will not break that promise.” Jesse blinked a few times and stared at Hanzo. He must have still looked concerned because those firm features just became more resolute.

“Do you doubt me? I will stay here every night if that is what you fear. But you will see the ocean again. You will return home again. You will have your freedom again. I will not let you be mistreated by another human. Not again.” Even as Jesse wondered for a moment why Hanzo thought he’d been mistreated, the conviction in those words calmed his racing heart. Having this man, so strong and sure in his convictions, who spoke with such passion and pride even as he stood exhausted and weary, by his side every night? How could Jesse not feel safe.

“Besides, just because someone else here knows doesn’t mean they wish you harm. You’ve been here long enough and left unattended for periods already.” Hanzo continued, looking back at the looping camera feed, glaring and narrowing his eyes at the faint blue/grey glitch he could pinpoint for a split second every so often. “I feel it is quite the opposite. I believe we have someone on our side here. Someone is trying to keep you safe, and covering our tracks for us.” Jesse watched that narrow-eyed glare curl into a smirk. As Jesse realised what he meant, Jesse found himself grinning too.

“You mean t’tell me, we got an ally here. Someone's protecting us."

"Yes. and I believe I know who."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song from Jesse's memory is called 'Cad é sin don té sin', and is a favourite Gaelic song of mine. It means (roughly) 'to who does it matter to whom it doesn't concern'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjPkbIjV6GQ 
> 
> As always, I'll proofread in the morning...actually I might end up just never looking at this chapter again it really gave me a rought time but now I can write THE GOOD SHIT.


	11. Oh won't you come with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hano still cannot take care of himself and continues to be the embodiment of my own inability to self-care right now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about 2K longer than where I usual ballpark m chapters, and I'm excited to be putting more of the fun stuff in there, so I hope it makes up for how long you guys had to wait...I work in a cinema and Endgame came out recently...let's just say life's been hectic.

Watching Jesse settling into the new resting room he was to be held in was an interesting sight. The man paced the entire perimeter, running his hand along the pale walls, frowning at the glass window and grumbling about the plastic rock flooring and fake displays. The room was effective two separate levels, the upper entrance and the sunken recovery pen. While the door opened to an upper ledge where Hanzo currently stood, it then featured a slope leading into the two-foot-deep pit that made up most of the room, all made of the same sandy rock colouring. When the good doctor decided Jesse was ready, the pit could be filled with water, giving him a small, enclosed space to safely practice swimming in. Their usual guests tended to be juveniles, but it was still a comfortable amount of space for a resting adult. Hanzo just hoped Jesse would be able to rest in such a space…how unnatural it must seem through eyes that see the human and the ocean worlds.

Hanzo simply rested his shoulder against the door frame, letting Jesse acclimatise himself and grumble as he walked around the room, his eyes feeling heavy as dawn crept closer. Another full day and night were taking their toll, and his head was starting to hurt again…he hadn’t forgotten Dr Zeigler’s threat, and hoped he’d have time to take some painkillers before she arrived, and maybe some coffee as well. Had he remembered to message her last hour? He couldn’t recall, but coffee would surely help - Anything to stave off the inevitable crash for a few hours longer. Just a few hours…

When he heard Jesse finally stop pacing, he opened his eyes again. When had he closed them? The scruffy man was standing in the centre of the large pit, frowning at the room as he looked from side to side, then turning back to the large glass viewing window that looked to the outside.

“I don’t like that window. People are gonna be starin’ at me?” The man asked, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. Hanzo grimaced as he looked towards the window in question. It showed a darkened tunnel at the moment, But come the morning people would be passing through from open until close – the seal hospital always drew in extra guests, and once Genji inevitably updated the website tomorrow morning they would be full of noisy people, screaming kids, people banging on the glass…it didn’t matter how many signs were put up, people just loved to let their kids bang on the damned glass. Hanzo sighed at the thought.

“We are a public sanctuary. The resting pens, when it’s appropriate and acceptable, are a chance to display the destruction and danger our natural wildlife is in. For those animals who are calm enough or offer a learning experience to the general public, they are placed in these resting pens so we may educate the public. There are screens we can put across…but for as long as they believe you are a seal, they will attempt to keep you on show.” He explained, continuing to rest listlessly against the door frame, one heavy hand slipping into the hoodie once again, the soft, repetitive motions of stroking over the otter fur a calming crutch for Hanzo. Jesse just grunted, looking around the room again, obviously uncomfortable.

Hanzo could agree with the principle. Using the creatures that were brought to them for healing to educate the masses while they rested was a good way to promote their message. And he knew that the glass was at least partially soundproof and protected. But this was the first time he’d had to consider what that must be like for the animals – stared at, every day by screaming children and packs of strange monkeys who pointed and cooed and then move along and forgot about you. Nowhere to hide, just this one room to lie in…restricted to only what your masters allow of you…

“Well…’s more space, I guess.” Jesse eventually conceded, sighing and he headed back up the slope to where Hanzo stood, prompting the man to finally stand up straight again. Jesse was running his remaining hand through his hair, his bandaged arm held in close and protectively to his side. “So, where d’we go from here, huh?” the scruffy selkie asked, taking a seat on the ledge and staring around the room still. He was scanning, constantly, noticing entrances, exits – a stranger in a new place who still wasn’t sure if he was in danger yet. Quietly to himself, Hanzo wondered if that was the seal instincts, or Jesse himself. Hanzo sighed and moved to sit beside him, being careful not to jostle the sleeping otters still tucked into the front pocket of his hoodie.

“Monitoring, usually, You will be fed until you are a healthy weight, treat your arm until its healed enough to swim, then work from there to get you moved into the main pool with-”

“I _meant_ with the cameras – with someone knowin’ what I am.” Hanzo was cut off, Jesse giving a wry smile as he turned tired eyes towards Hanzo, tucking his bandaged hand up underneath the red cloak around his shoulders as he did so. “Is it somethin’ we need t’ worry about?” Hanzo paused at that. He had a good idea who it could be…but if he was wrong…

“No. All you need to do is focus on healing. Getting yourself well. Let me focus on the rest.” He replied, firm in his convictions. Jesse only hummed, a low note of unease. In the silence of the room, the air felt heavier around the two of them. They fell silent, sitting on the faux-stone wall, Jesse’s heel tapping against the wall while Hanzo snuck a hand into his pocket to run reassuringly over the soft otter fur.

“Dawn’s comin’ fast” Jesse murmured into the quiet of the room. Hanzo hummed in response, feeling his eyes drifting closed again. Exhausting had crept up on him and decided now to hit him like a freight train. His entire body finally falling victim to the crash of trying to do so much. “Y’should get some sleep.” Hanzo heard Jesse say, his voice a low humm than seemed to wrap around him from all angles.

“So should you.” He mumbled back in reply, not even opening his eyes as he felt something brush his cheek, moving back a stray hair that had likely come loose.

“I’m a selkie – durin’ the daytime there ain’t much else t’do but sleep. Not like you busy people.” Hanzo hardly registered that he had listed sideways until whatever he was resting against suddenly moved, jerking slightly as he heard Jesse laugh. Before he could process it much further though, he heard that warm, strange accent wash over him again. “Sleep, Hanzo – I’ll keep watch, you ‘n the pups are safe…” and if he said anything after that, Hanzo was too far gone to listen.

 

* * *

 

The first thing Hanzo was aware of was the sound of Genji’s voice.

“Tell me I can film this. I will pay you if you let me film this.”

“Shh, don’t wake him yet.”

“What do you mean don’t wake him? He shouldn’t be in here! This is the second time in a row that he has-”

“Angela, _please_. Let me film this”

“I’m taking a picture for the website”

“You’re both hopeless. Lucio, put the camera away, Genji help me rouse your brother, and be careful of the otters-”

“I’m surprised the seal didn’t attack them-”

Eventually, all the noise made Hanzo groan, grumbling and clumsily sitting upright, bringing a hand up to rub away the sleep from his eyes, ignoring the mumble of conversation still going on around him. He still felt exhausted, and now his head hurt even more than it had before, with a constant pounding behind his left eye that thrummed in time to his heartbeat. His back was aching something fierce, like he’d slept curled over a log all night. It took the huffing of wet breath over his hand for him to remember – perhaps that statement wasn’t as far off as he first thought.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Brother” he heard Genji teasing him from somewhere close by, he couldn’t focus on where as he rested his eyes against his hand, waiting for the pounding to die down a little. “You know there’s better partners to share a bed with, without resorting to the animals.” Yup, that was his idiot brother. Hanzo just grumbled in response, ignoring Angela’s protestations and anger going on in the background.

“Why are you all in here?” He growled out in response, voice rough from sleep as he opened his eyes, staring up into his brother’s far-too-gleeful for so goddamned early in the morning face, Lucio grinning by the doorway a little way behind and Angela…Angela kneeling next to the seal Hanzo had apparently spent his entire night leaning against, switching from checking his wrap job on the bandages to glaring at Hanzo from the corner of her eye.

Oh. Oh, no...as Hanzo looked around fully, he saw how Jesse’s eyes were wide open, glancing from person to person before settling on Hanzo with nothing but joy in his eyes. He snorted out a huff of air that just had the Shimada rolling his eyes. Of course, the bastard was enjoying this – why didn’t he wake him before he shifted? How did Hanzo sleep through being shifted?

“Well, it seems as it everything is in working order, though I am still confused as to how you transported an entire adult seal by yourself halfway across the building…” Angela muttered to herself as she finally pulled away from checking the bandages around the injured fin. “And well done with the bandage wrapping. A very acceptable job.” She added, turning to face Hanzo who was still groggily trying to rub away the throbbing in his temples.

“Now. I believe we had an agreement – go home, Shimada.” Angela stood over him, crossing her arms and tapping one foot against the faux material of the holding pen. Genji seemed to have materialised his bag at some point – and hadn’t that been in his locker? – and was already holding it out for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Jesse whip his head around, staring with wide eyes at Hanzo. Right, he hadn’t told the seal he wouldn’t be back that night.

“Miss Zeigler I should at least-”

“Home.”

“I still need to-”

“Go. Home. Get some proper sleep. And do not think about trying to go to the surfing school. Pharah has been informed of my orders, and if you show up, she’s locking you out of the building.” Hanzo’s shoulders sagged at that. Great, there went his other plan for the day…Jese whined, resting his head on the floor, and Hanzo shot him an apologetic look. Maybe he could get Hana to sneak him the spare keys later if he bribed her with that new game she wanted…

“If only you could apply that determination and focus to asking Pharah on a date.” Hanzo retaliated, taking a small, petty pride in how Angela turned bright red, the corner of his mouth even quirking up into a smile as he heard more than saw Jesse huff and bark out what he was slowly realising was a laugh for the large seal. While Angela spluttered through her response, Genji just kept snickering, holding out a hand for Hanzo.

“Here, Brother. I will drive you home.” As Hanzo staggered to his feet, Angela, still looking flustered, began shooing them both out of the door. When he looked behind him, Jesse was huffing softly, staring at him with those big, dark eyes as he left the room. _‘I’ll come back.’_ Hanzo thought, already thinking about how he was going to sneak back that night. _‘I promised I would not leave him alone.’_

And he wouldn’t let himself break that promise.

 

* * *

 

 

He should have guessed that Genji’s offer to drive him home would come with a stipulation. In this, case, the stipulation that he listen to his brother ramble at him about everything and anything that came to his mind – exactly what his pounding head didn’t need. As the passed through the main doors and down the steps onto the same worn gravel path he had walked with Jesse the night before, Hanzo could already feel his patience draining fast as the bright sunlight hit his face. Genji, forever running on coffee and the endless supply of annoying that every younger sibling seemed to have, didn’t seem to care as he immediately opened his mouth to start talking.

“I hope you’re not spending all your time here because you’re avoiding me, brother.”

“You think too highly of yourself, idiot.”

“This from the man who has fallen asleep in a seal pen twice now.” Genji grinned smugly down at him. Hanzo only glared in response, moving to stick his hands in the pocket of his hoodie only to remember at the last moment the heavy weight residing there. “But, seriously Hanzo. I hope you’re not avoiding me just because I’m moving out.”

Oh…Hanzo had almost forgotten about that completely. The sudden reminder made him tense up a little, his mouth twisting into a frown as he glared out over the damp grass. The rain from yesterday has left everything shimmering like the ocean in the morning light. He didn’t bother responding to Genji, and it seemed that was enough for his brother to assume the worst.

“You can’t stop it from happening, I don’t want to keep running for the rest of my life” his younger brother continued, gesticulating randomly in front of him with the hand not holding Hanzo’s bag still. Hanzo only grunted a reply – it was too early and he ached far too much to have this argument again. “Hanzo!” apparently unsatisfied with his response, Genji rounded on him. His face was knotted into annoyance bordering on anger. His eyes bored into Hanzo’s, who could only stare back tiredly. They said nothing, watching each other in silent communication the way only siblings could.

“What do you want from me, Genji?” He eventually sighed, bringing a hand to up to rub at the bridge of his nose as if that would ease the headache pounding away there. He was suddenly, viciously reminded of how badly he just wanted a hot shower, a fresh change of clothes and some sleep. Maybe some food in the meantime.  “Do you want me to yell? Tell you you’re being foolish? You have proven many times to me that you do not care for my opinions or reasons.” Hanzo grumbled, moving instead to push past his brother. He would make his own way home.

“I want you to stop existing and start living, brother!” Genji grabbed him by the shoulder, making him tense up at the exclamation. He grit his teeth, feeling his jaw tighten. Start living? Easy for him to say – everything was always easier for Genji. Sociable, loveable Genji. Their father’s favourite, the rebel child who got away with everything, who got everything, who was allowed anything he desired. Genji, who fell into a job here while Hanzo had struggled, who made friends where Hanzo saw weakness, who settled where Hanzo couldn’t stop moving. Who had complained and whined and thrown a tantrum when Hanzo had spent his own money to buy them a boat, a means of escape, a route to freedom, to anywhere they wanted to go – Easy for _fucking Genji_ to say he should start living when everything he had done for the past decade had been to keep them safe.

But he couldn’t say that.

He bit his tongue hard, swallowing down the harsh words. The arguments he wanted to make, the anger he wanted to unleash. He crushed down the urge to shake his brother, to yell at him, to tell him it still wasn’t safe, that leaving his sight would get him killed. That Genji couldn’t possibly live alone and expect to stay safe. He buried it all down.

“Genji. I’m tired, I’m going home. Isn’t that where you are supposed to be taking me?” Was all that came out of his mouth. Genji’s hand fell from his shoulder, recoiling as if the words had been a slap to the face and not a simple dismissal. He didn’t look behind him as he kept walking up the path, hearing his brother eventually catch up behind him. He didn’t see the look on Geni’s face, but he could feel it. After a few moments, Hanzo sighed.

“I’m sorry, Genji. It has been…a very long few days. There are other things on my mind besides you-shocking, I’m sure.” He eventually said, turning to at least give his brother a wry smile. Anything to get that kicked puppy look off of his brother’s face. He didn’t deserve Hanzo’s frustration even if he was being a little shit. Although when that kicked puppy look suddenly twisted into a grin, he wondered if he should have left him feeling hurt instead.

“Wait a moment brother, since when do you think of anything that isn’t about the family or whether I’m home for dinner?” Genji asked, practically skipping forward to stand at Hanzo’s side again, knocking into his brother’s shoulder even as Hanzo grimaced.

“Drop it Genji. I don’t have to tell you everything. We both have our lives here.”

“That’s the problem!” Genji exclaimed, back to his irritating self in moments. “ _You_ don’t, Hanzo -You _live_ here, but you don’t have a life here!” Hanzo’s hands slipped into his hoodie, feeling the otters curled up there snuffling and nibbling against his fingers. He needed to feed them. Genji didn’t let up though, pressing on with his words.

“You don’t go out unless I make you, you don’t talk to anyone unless you have to. You act like you’re happy with your job but you only do it because it was the first place to hire you, and you spent any free time working here for free just so you can keep an eye on me!” at some point they had stopped walking, the two of them halfway up the dirt and gravel road towards the reception at the top of the hill, Genji standing arms crossed, staring Hanzo down. After a moment, his younger brother’s features softened and he smiled, lowering his voice as he spoke again.

“So if you somehow have other things on your mind, anything to break the routine you’ve been forcing yourself into, then I’m going to get excited for you, brother.” Hanzo turned away from his brother’s genuine smile, hiding his face and curling in on himself defensively. He couldn’t tell Genji about Jesse. He’d made a promise after all – and Genji couldn’t keep a secret if he was being paid for it.

Actually...Hanzo felt guilt rise up at that thought. Genji had kept many secrets for the family. And many more for his friends. It was Genji’s ability to lie so easily about who they were that had kept them alive over the years. But there was a difference between forging a background and hiding a supernatural being.

“Soooooo, what’s been on your mind?” Genji began to pester again, prompting Hanzo to roll his eyes and turn back to the uphill climb towards the reception area.

“Nothing.”

“Come on Hanzo! Have you finally been looking at the marine-?”

“No.” Hanzo shut him down. He refused to bring up that argument again and instead decided to pay attention to the small pointed face snuffling its way out of his pocket, climbing up the sleeve of his hoodie to sit by his shoulder.

“I still don’t understand why. You’d be _good_ at it, Hanzo! Everyone here knows it! Even Reyes-”

Hanzo growled out a low “Drop it Genji.” as they finally reached the reception building, slipping through the automatic doors and passing the reception desk where a grumpy Hana was setting up for the day. She waved at the pair of them as they passed, her movements sluggish in the early morning. Hanzo felt for her – Hana was one of the few members of staff who would leave him alone when she saw him.

Genji huffed out a sigh, beelining for the lime green monstrosity parked in the staff bays outside the front doors. Hanzo winced at the sight of the obnoxiously bright car in the face of his slowly growing headache.

“Lucio’s car? Why are you driving Lucio’s car?”

“I stayed 'round last night, now get in and hush up. Oh, and we’re getting breakfast on the way, you need to eat before you take some pain pills.”

“I’m not taking pills.”

“Do you want me to call Angela and you can tell her that?” Hanzo grumbled a little more, the furry otter face around his shoulder nudging against his cheek. Offhandedly, Hanzo wondered why no one had said anything about taking Kawa and Umi off-site with him, but he was silently grateful. Only a few days and he already had adjusted to the comforting weight, the soft fur beneath his fingertips, the way they chittered and nuzzled against his hands and how they kept others away from him. It was like having...

“Hanzo? You’re drifting again!” Genji snapped his fingers in front of Hanzo’s eyes, causing him to flinch away. He scowled in response, but silently petted Kawa’s head and moved towards the passenger side door. But not before spotting someone else stepping out of a sleek, sensible vehicle three spots over. Right on time, just as always.

“Good morning, Miss Vaswani” Hanzo offered in greeting. Miss Vaswani looked as elegant and put together as she always did, her smart suit jacket sitting clean across her shoulders and her eyes scanning over the car park as she exited. Once she had finished closing up her car, her bag thrown over one shoulder, only then did she turn to the brothers, offering a short nod to Genji and a quiet ‘Good Morning’ to Hanzo as she clicked past in short heels. He heard Genji mutter something about ‘the ice queen’s back in her castle’ before he grunted in response. Hanzo carefully waited until his brother had slipped into the driver’s side of the car, then suddenly whirled around, striding after Mss Vaswani.

 

* * *

 

 

“Miss Vaswani!” Hanzo called out as he stepped through reception to follow her. Satya turned around, looking over her shoulder at Hanzo.

“Good Morning, Mr Shimada. I see you have been given a foster case.” she said in response, her sharp eyes flicking down to the otter still perched on his shoulder, his back legs half curled into Hanzo’s hood. Hanzo raised a hand to pet Kawa in automatic response. “Was there a reason you stopped me?” She asked, and Hanzo stood a little straighter, looking around, seeing where Hana was. It seemed she had stepped out back, or maybe just gone to find a more permanent source of caffeine, since the reception desk was thankfully empty.

“Yes - I was wondering if you had noticed anything strange or out of place on the security feeds over the past few nights.” He asked carefully. Satya’s entire job was checking the cameras and footage. If anyone had found out about Jesse on those cameras, it would have been her. Hanzo’s conviction only grew as he watched her whirl around to face him, one hand grasping the strap of her bag, the other tapping out a rhythm against the material at her hip, muffled through her gloves against the leather.

“Is there something in particular you are referring to?” She asked. Words carefully chosen, spoken like a battle through the air between them.

“Not in particular...I was wondering if anything...unusual had caught your eye on the cameras. The storm last night was a rough one, things might have gotten damaged or lost...” Hanzo hedged. If he was right, he wasn’t going to be the one to say it. Satya continued to stare him down, her eyes flickering over every part of his face. Hanzo admired Satya. She was methodical, calculating and a damn good security chief. If she had seen Jesse, then he would have to trust that she wouldn’t-

“I have not caught anything. Nothing unusual or out of place in the past two weeks. Shall I check deeper into the cameras?” Hanzo felt his hope die with those words. Satya did not lie, and was blunt and straightforward with any information she found. If she had found anything she would have told him, told Mr Morrison, told someone...but all she did was stand there, one eyebrow raised, her calculating eyes staring him down as she waited for him to answer.

Satya wasn’t the one covering their tracks. Satya didn’t know about Jesse.

And Hanzo had just hinted that there was something in the cameras to look for.

“No. Nothing. Forget I said anything.” Hanzo said with a sigh. Satya’s expression shifted into something curious, as she reached out towards Hanzo. Or, towards his shoulder. “Wait-Satya-” He tried to warn her, but not before Kawa darted forward, latching needle teeth into Satya’s gloved hand. Before Hanzo could say anything, Satya raised her hand up to her face, cupping the squirming noodle body to her and looking down at the bundle in her arms. Hanzo froze as Kawa continued to bite at her hand, even as Satya didn’t react at all.

“The orphans from the seafront. They are feisty, like Lena told me, I see. But do not isolate them so much. Loneliness can make them more irritable. They need socialising with the others in the Bevy, even if they are nervous about it.” she said, slowly twisting her hand free of Kawa’s teeth by removing her glove. Hanzo stared at the pristine artificial arm as Satya moved to scratch Kawa on the back of his head, the otter freezing before slowly, surprisingly, chirruping softly and beginning to settle against Satya. “Good day, Mr Shimada.” Satya bowed her head, holding out the little fluffy otter for Hanzo to take. Kawa’s beady black eyes stared up at him as Hanzo cradled him close again, his expression unreadable as Satya moved past him gracefully.

Genji stuck his head in the door only a moment later, “Can we leave now or do you want to run after anyone else at ass o’clock in the morning? I’m getting breakfast, let’s go!”

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t Satya. Satya didn’t know anything about Jesse. Someone else did, and someone else has snuck past Satya’s security measures. Someone else who could get into the security feeds and cover their tracks...and Satya took her cameras very seriously. Who else could it be? Hanzo’s thoughts spun in circles the entire car ride, even as he hand-fed small pieces of fish to the two otters as they clambered over his lap.

Winston had access to the camera feed...but he had no reason to check them

Angela? Could she have checked the cameras and found out? But she wouldn’t know how to mess with the footage and even if she did, to get past Satya’s sights would be impossible.

...Ana? He couldn’t know for sure.

“Hey, Hey Hanzo! We’re back, get out of the car already!” Genji snapped his fingers in front of his eyes, something Hano hated, and he growled as he pushed his brother’s hands away. Genji leaned away to settle back into the seat, but he frowned at Hanzo from across the car, running his hand through the bright green hair that he’d apparently decided was a good idea. Umi, still drowsy from the nap, chirped and squeaked as he wriggled back into the front pocket of Hanzo’s hoodie while Kawa took up residence in his hood.

“Hanzo, seriously, if something is wrong...I want you to talk to me.” Genji said quietly. More serious than Hano could remember hearing him in a long time. “We’re brothers – and I don’t want us to drift apart like we almost did before. I’ve been talking to Zenyatta, Angela’s assistant? He’s got a lot of good insight and he’s part of the reason I feel ready to move on, move out, and settle down here. I want that for you too, Hanzo. To find somewhere you belong.”

“I belong with the ocean, Genji. You know this.” Hanzo offered back, pushing open the car door with a click and carefully leaving so as not to disrupt the otters. “But...thank you.”

Genji smiled back, offering a lazy salute. “Yeah, yeah, enough being mushy before I want to vomit! Go get some sleep – real sleep! And no coming to the site for 48 hours, Angela’s orders! And Pharah’s not to let you work either! And you need to eat before you take those pain meds, and-”

“ _Goodbye,_ Genji” Hanzo cut him off, shutting the door and silencing the ramblings of his brother as he turned away from the car. The harbour docks stretched out before him. He was almost home.

Many years ago, when they had first planned to escaped the iron fist of their family and fled the bloody halls of their home, Genji’s first plan had been to destroy every branch of the business until it was ash and dust...but Hanzo’s first instinct had been to find the sea. To escape over its waters and put as many miles as he could between the only person that mattered and the biggest threat to their lives. For months he and Genji had planned and plotted, syphoning away funds from the Shimada clan’s empire until they had enough to flee with, and moving from place to place as fast as they could. Never anywhere long enough to make an impression, always paying cash.

Genji had wanted to fly, to take a plane somewhere. But that meant airports, and passport checks, and cameras. The sky belonged to their dragons, but they had fallen silent the night the brothers had fled. No - the ocean. The ocean Hanzo had stared at for hours, that his mother had told him about. It was the ocean that would free them.

Months of travelling over the country, of hunting and being hunted, of long nights and longer days. And finally, an out had appeared. A local advertisement in a fishing village, for a boat for sale. A sailboat, with a decent engine, two bedrooms and a few tanks of fuel included. Being sold by an old man who had once used it for extended fishing trips with his son, until his son had no interest and moved to the city. Hanzo paid almost twice what the man was asking if he agreed to teach Hanzo how to sail. It was a little rusted, a little dated, and needed some modifications; but it had a working sail, and the elderly gentleman was an experienced sailor who talked Hanzo through everything he would need to know in the month they had stayed in that village.

Until now, that month had been the longest they’d stayed in one place.

But finally, with the boat in working order, the engine running smoothly, and an entire ocean ahead of them, the brothers had left Japan behind.

And the reliable little sailboat had served them well over the years. Hanzo thought to himself as his feet tapped along the wooden dock, the sounds of the ocean waves lapping at the creaking wood filling the air, and the whistling rush of the salty sea breeze a better balm than any medicine could be. They had seen miles and miles of the blue expanse. Living in such close, cramped quarters had given the brothers both a closer connection and a newfound appreciation for how much space the Shimada house had given them to avoid each other...

They may have both threatened to drown the other more than once.

Hanzo may have considered it as a serious idea once.

He supposed it wouldn’t matter so much soon. Genji would be a problem for whoever his new neighbours were in a week or so.

“Good morning!” A gentle voice called out to Hanzo as he walked along the wooden pier, out towards one of the furthest docking points. The otters squeaked and wriggled around him as he stopped and turned towards one of the other boats. A beautiful trawler with plants growing on almost every available space on the decking. Pots upon pots of lush green that stood out strikingly against the white, blue and occasional black of the other boats in the harbour. Trailing plants brushing the water in places and a few climbing ones growing up over the steering hub. And leaning over the railing, a streak of dirt across her forehead and fiery hair a mess, was Alice. Hanzo may not talk to anyone in the harbour, but Alice was an exception.

“Good morning, Alice. The plants are doing well I see.” Hanzo offered as a greeting, bowing his head and bringing a hand up to support Kawa as he began to clamber over his shoulder. Alice’s smile stretched into a grin as she looked down at him.

“Rare for you to be home so early in the day. I hardly ever see you in the morning light.” was Alice’s reply, moving a little further down the boat towards the stern, and swinging her sandaled feet through the gap in the railings to sit down. “Something to do with the guest you have?” She asked, resting her head on her hands.

“Yes, there was an incident at the sanctuary, I’m caring for these creatures today. I was forced to bring them home with me it seems.” Hanzo replied...Alice laughed in response, shaking her head.

“No, not those two, the girl on your boat. I saw her arrive earlier, She had a key and the passcode – does Genji have a girlfriend?”

Kawa squeaked and nudged at Hanzo’s hands as the froze in the air. His blood ran cold. His breath seemed to rush from his lungs as Alice’s words took root.

“Hanzo? Is something wrong?”

“...you say someone was on our boat earlier?” Hanzo tried to keep the edge of panic out of his voice, speaking deliberately slowly and calmly. But Alice was always to perceptive for that.

“What happened? Hanzo do I need to call Tom?” Alice asked, sitting up a little straighter, her smile falling away to something sharper. Hanzo’s entire body felt stiff, silent. The dragons weren’t there. They had been silent. He had thought they had been returning as the otters chittered, but not, in his moment of crisis, they abandoned him once again. Panic welled up in his throat as every possible scenario went through his mind. Someone had been on their boat. Was possibly still there. A stranger. An unknown. An-

A pair of long whiskers rubbing against his face as Kawa nudged at him.

He was getting ahead of himself, it could be completely innocent, it could be a friend of Genji’s. It could be so many things...

“Alice, this is important. I need you to describe who you saw.” Hanzo said, stepping up to the chipped white Trawler and looking up to Alice where she sat watching him. Even as she frowned in concentration, she closed her eyes, beginning to tap on the railing as she recounted details.

“Female. Young, maybe mid-20s, between 5ft 2 and 5ft 5, didn’t spot her eye colour. Wearing a simple dress, hair was soaked. Arrived just before dawn. I was watering Dhalia, I saw her walking through the docks before the sun was up. She stopped at your boat, entered the passcode, unlocked it with a key. I thought you or Genji must know her.” She opened her eyes, worry on her face as she looked down at him. “Did I do something wrong?” She asked. Hanzo took a breath and pushed down his own initial panic. Alice never read emotions well, and always assumed she was the cause of bad ones. He began petting Kawa to stay calm and put a smile onto his face.

Hanzo shook his head. “No, you did nothing, Alice. Don’t worry, but don’t leave your boat until this afternoon. Just in case. Stay with your plants.” He told her, hearing the soft, hesitant ‘ _o-okay_ ’ as he turned towards his own sailboat further down the docks. His skin prickled with the feeling of ‘wrong’ as he approached the small boat. Bobbing with the gentle current of the water, looking so unassuming and innocent next to the other huge boats beside her. Something, something was telling Hanzo there was wrongness there.

He approached slowly, assassin training flooding back to him in a moment as he walked over the creaking docks like a ghost. Silent footsteps stepping onto the stern and rounding to the side of the central hub, where the door was stationed. At first, it appeared nothing was wrong. The door was still locked, the alarm blinked on the side where the key reader was. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except the handle. It was a level type of handle that would disengage when the door was unlocked, allowing you to open the lock and pull the door open. Hanzo and Genji both made a point of keeping it slightly out of the locked, upright position. Now, it was firmly back in its place.

Someone had opened the boat and been inside.

Hanzo’s eyes scanned over anything else on the boat. Nothing was missing. Nothing out of place. So, still moving slowly, even the otters were dead still, he unlocked the door. Sliding inside and closing the door behind him, he spun his gaze around the tiny seating area, the fold-down table, the small kitchenette, the door to the bathroom and his room at the bow of the boat...

Nothing.

Nothing out of place. Nothing taken. Nothing missing or moved. If it wasn’t for how unsettled Hanzo felt, he’d almost wonder if Alice had been correct. The entire place was clear, and even as he swept through the entire cramped quarters as thoroughly as he could, he found nothing to suggest spy equipment or traps had been rigged either.

There was just...nothing. Like a ghost had wandered through.

After perhaps two hours of solid searching, Hanzo finally relaxed enough to sit down with a sigh. The otters, excited to explore the new space, were already running riot and squeaking around his feet, and he listened to them absentmindedly as he swallowed some fruit that was probably just about to turn, chased down with pills and water (Angela would find out if he didn't take the pills. She always found out.). Whatever Alice had seen, it had left no trace. Perhaps it wasn’t the family. Perhaps it was just a normal robber who had found nothing worth taking and left again soon after...

But then, why were there no traces of forced entry? How did they have a key?

His eyes aching in his skull, Hanzo dragged himself across the cabin to his room. The small, triangular shape contoured to the shape of the boat, and so did his bed. It made for a strange sleeping arrangement, but he had learned (as with almost everything) to adjust. Now, he loved staring out the small window and watching the edge of the water sometimes lap against the glass there in stormy weather, the feel of the water rocking at the boat like a cradle, dragging him down into her depth and holding him safely. Like his mother used to.

It was that feeling he enjoyed now as he half sat, half collapsed into the bed, curling up tightly and sighing as he dragged his blanket half-heartedly over himself. He knew he should go and get Kawa and Umi. That he should put them somewhere safe, but now the paranoia of the possible break-in had faded, he was just...so...tired...

 

* * *

 

Ringing. Loud, incessant ringing was what awoke him. Hanzo groaned as he pulled himself from sleep, one hand pawing over the bedsheets lazily in the direction of the music in a bid to silence the source of the noise.

Bedsheets.

He suddenly shot awake, sitting upright and almost slamming his forehead into the shelving unit in the process (thank you muscle memory once again). He looked around the room, the memories of scanning and searching the place, of Alice’s words, and of the two very much loose otters coming back to him in a rush. Shit, shit-!

But first, that damned alarm.

His phone had apparently fallen off of the bed, bussing against the hardwood floor as the screen lit up with alerts. Angela, Satya, and Genji’s name all stared back at him. He started with Angela.

_Your brother said you were sleeping, so I hope this does not wake you. Your seal is behaving oddly – if I didn’t know better I’d say it’s searching for you. You certainly have a way of endearing these animals to you, Mr Shimada. I hope you are feeling better tomorrow, but do NOT try to work until the day after. I will find out!_

Angela’s perfect typing, no text-speak, no annoying emoticons, no slang terms, had Hanzo smiling. But he soon frowned as he re-read the message. He hadn’t had time to tell Jesse he wouldn’t be there for two nights...he’d have to ask Genji to tell the seal  - or not. Asking his brother to relay a message to a seal might make him think Hanzo was crazier than he already thought. He flicked open the next text.

_‘Nothing on the cameras yet.’_

That was...odd. And unsettling. Satya rarely texted him at all, and it was rarely anything so...trivial. Or so blunt. Hanzo hoped she didn’t look too deeply into the cameras. But there was nothing he could do now. Finally, Genji’s message. He clicked it open. His blood ran cold again.

_‘Came back 2 c if ur still alive – should’ve said u had a friend over! Wld've knocked 1 st!’_

There was – there shouldn’t be anyone else here. Immediately, he was on high alert once again. Every nerve in his body listening for a threat. And now he was more alert, he could finally hear a noise. The sound of his own noise laptop fan in the living room. And the sound of typing.

He reached for the constant knife under his pillow, his grip tightening around the handle as he moved to stand. Heading for the door. To where the intruder was. He flung open the door, prepared to attack whoever was there-

Only to lock eyes with a woman sitting at his table, casually typing on his laptop. The bright screen cast her face in an eerie blue glow, and she didn’t even look up from the screen as she saluted him with a flick of two fingers, pushing a bottle of water closer

“ _Buenas tardes_ , Sleeping beauty. Have a drink, you slept 14 hours.” was all she said. No aggression, no attack, not even looking at him. Hanzo found himself stuck in place by his bedroom door, feeling the boat shift and move around them with the water. Faint moonlight and a single lamp was all the light in the room. He couldn’t see if she was armed-

“You can relax, Shimada Hanzo. I’m not here for a fight.”

“Then what are you here for?” He asked, narrowing his eyes as she spoke his name. There was something...familiar about her. Finally, her sharp eyes turned to him, and her lips curled up into a fox’s smirk.

“So hostile to guests – at least your brother brought food.” She said, looking towards the takeout boxes on the kitchen counter. Hanzo hadn’t even spotted them. “You can consider me a friend, Shimada. I have no reason to start a fight.”

The dragons were still silent. She hadn’t attacked. She didn’t even seem armed –and now Hanzo was looking closer, she wasn’t dressed like an assassin at all. All she seemed interested in was his laptop. So, warily crossing the wooden floor to sit at the chair on the opposite side of the folding table, Hanzo took a seat, taking the bottle of water (one from his own fridge, seal still intact.) and sipping slowly (no chemical taste, no perforation to the bottle.) until it was half gone. The stranger just continued watching the screen, tapping away.

Now that he was closer, Hanzo could spot more details about the woman. A black mole by her left eye, and an interesting pattern shaved into the side of her head. She was wearing earphones on one side, the other dangling loose. They were bright purple, so not his (black) or Genji’s (bright orange). Her clothing...that was the strangest part. She wore only a simple dress, wrapped around her body with no visible seam or zipper, sitting high around her neck, a dark grey colour covered in a dappled, specked black-blue pattern, with a hood hanging low down the back. She was barefoot...and like Alice had said, her hair was still damp.

“You were here earlier.”

“Hm, perhaps there is hope for your brain after all.” She snarked back in response. Something was moving by her side and Hanzo’s eyes shot down to see Kawa and Umi curled up on her thigh, peacefully dozing away; Calmer than they had been around anyone else. Who _WAS_ she? Hanzo made an aborted action towards picking them up but stopped when he realised she had stopped typing again. She was watching him. Silence fell between them as she stared, unblinking at him. Her eyes glowing in the laptop light. It felt like judgement falling between them. Like being in front of the elders once again, trying to prove he was worthy.

He never wanted to feel like that again.

“Who are you.”

“A friend.”

“A friend at least gives their name.”

“I have a lot of names, but you...you can call me Sombra.” Hanzo couldn’t help but roll his eyes, and breaking that eye contact with her seemed to break whatever oppressive air had been hanging over them. She sat back against the seat, one hand coming down to run her nails over Umi’s back. Hanzo tried not to let it rile him up.

“Enough games. Why are you here, _Sombra_?”

“Because you have a friend of mine. And I need him back” her smile dropped, ad she flipped the screen around. CCTV footage. CCTV footage of something Hanzo recognised all too clearly.

“Jesse? You’re here for Jesse?” And to his surprise, that seemed to catch Sombra off guard.

“He told you his name?” She asked, recoiling backwards slightly before leaning forward again. “I knew he’d finally been revealing his human form but I didn’t think he’d break Gabe’s rules that far.” Something suddenly clicked in Hanzo’s mind, his eyes looking between the screen and the woman.

“Wait...You’re the one who has been altering the cameras.” She didn’t answer, but instead rested her chin against her jaw, still staring at the feed from Jesse’s enclosure, the seal resting in one corner, the one in the viewing window’s blind spot, Hanzo noticed.

“Well, it’s not like you two were being secretive. A child could have hacked this system!”

“Apparently, one did,” Hanzo grumbled in response, taking another swig of water.

“Cute. But yes, Jesse is from our colony.”

“Colony...?”

Another chuckle and Sombra brought one hand up to tug on her strange dress. “You haven’t figured it out yet? What does Jesse see in you? It sure isn’t your intelligence, Shimada.” She mocked him, her accent carrying the melodic words. And there was the final nail in the coffin, and Hanzo sighed.

“Another Selkie...great.” He grumbled, resting his forehead against the palm of his hand to try to stave off the headache. He had worried there may be others, but he hadn't expected one of them to hunt him down to his home. “Listen, Jesse is not a prisoner, and as soon as he is better we will release him, but he has-”

“I know what he has. I’ve been following him ever since your brother kindly posted the first pictures to the social media page.” she interrupted him, switching to another tag. Five days ago, a picture uploaded to the Overwatch Seal Sanctuary website of a drowsy Jesse, his missing fin still a bloody stump at that point, resting on the medical table.

The caption read, _‘New arrival today, cross your fingers for him everyone!’_ as well as the location he was found.

_‘Goddammit Genji!’_

Sombra scrolled down. Another picture of Jesse post recovery, chomping on a fish, with the caption ‘ _New guy’s out of surgery and doing well!_ ’, then another of...Hanzo?

When had Genji taken _this_ picture? It was of Hanzo watching Jesse, leaning over the pen housing him and handing down a fish for him. The smile on his face...Hanzo didn’t even know his face could make such an expression any more. Is that what Jesse had seen every time he’d looked at him? That ridiculous smile and doe-eyed sappiness? Why had no one told him he made such a ridiculous face sooner?! He grimaced as he thought about how stupid he must have looked - did he look at the otters like that too? With that childish love, like some lovesick fool getting excited about a puppy?? He blanched at the thought. Why had Jesse never said he looked ridiculous?!

“Hmhm, how cute – I was hacking a computer in the university library when I came across the pictures, you’ll have to thank your brother for me. I left the colony to come and find him – Imagine my surprise when instead I find someone who smells like him flailing in the ocean instead, looking like a half-starved pup trying to beach himself for the first time.” Hanzo’s eyes widened again. The seal that had pulled him onto the rocks-

“That was you?!” All he got in return was another grin. The man sighed, sitting back in his chair. So much to process, and he just wanted to go back to bed already.

“Alright, I understand so far. But why not just tell Jesse you’re here? Why work from the shadows like this?”

She paused – no, hesitated. She hesitated, and in that brief hesitation, Hanzo saw something very human behind those eyes, not the cocky mask she had been wearing. “Five years ago, our colony leader went missing. There one day, gone the next moon rise. Ten months later, Jesse vanished as well. I didn’t even know he was a selkie for years, since he never, ever, shifted. Not for one moon rise. In the time he was gone, I’ve been researching.” A third tab opened, news articles and pictures of seals, missing find or body parts, found strewn or scattered along the beach, and every so often, a missing person’s report with matching dates. Hanzo frowned.

“I don’t understand.”

Sombra chuckled. “Clearly. These people – many of them were selkies in other colonies. We would keep in touch, Gabe always said there’s too few of us not to work together, and when they started going missing, we all started noticing. Some would reappear, many did not. We found a couple early on, unharmed but without their skins, but after those two the attacks for more violent. Some with cuts to the throat that left them mute, or an amputated limb - until we started finding bodies. Not one has ever returned to the sea...But everyone that went missing was found without a body part of without the skin. Do you understand me?” 

Sombra’s sharp eyes turned to him again, her nails scratching through Umi’s fur as the sleeping otter wriggled beside her, nudging into her touch. Hanzo wished he could pick them up instead because he felt sick as he was forced to realise what was happening. Forced to say it out loud.

“Someone cut Jesse's arm off on purpose. There’s something killing Selkies.”

“No. Something wants our skins, it just doesn't care what it has to do to get them from us. And it might come back for Jesse’s."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to a possible new relationship tag on that board soon...


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